Hiding Out
by cifan
Summary: Set after False-Hearted Judges, Season Four. Spoiler for that episode only. BA.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.**

**Spoiler: Season Four: False-Hearted Judges. **

**In that episode Goren and Eames put Lloyd Wilkes away after he killed several judges in retaliation for losing custody of his son. **

**This story takes place a few weeks later.**

**Character's thoughts are in italics.**

--

Alex stabs repeatedly at her nightstand, trying to find her phone. Once she's successful, she flips it open, "Eames". She answers the phone even though she's barely conscious.

"Eames, it's Deakins. Get up and get to your door. NYPD SWAT will be knocking in about ninety seconds. We have a major situation."

Alex sits up, she's suddenly completely awake. She throws on the pajama bottoms that matches her shirt and heads down her hallway. "I'm listening, Captain."

"Lloyd Wilkes escaped while being transported from his court appearance. He's taking revenge on everyone who put him away. Judge Freeman has been shot and killed. Carver was also shot, he's still with us but he's fighting for his life. The logical next step for Wilkes is to find you and Goren."

She hears pounding on her door. She moves toward the door but continues speaking to Deakins. "Where's Bobby?"

"We're rounding him up now, too. Go with the SWAT team, once you're in their vehicle, they'll have our rendezvous point. I'll see you in twenty minutes."

Alex peers though her peep hole then opens the door. She sees four men, layered in Kevlar and heavily armed.

"Detective Eames, you have two minutes to pack a bag. Hurry."

Alex doesn't argue. She does as she's told and gets out of her apartment.

--

The meeting place is an empty warehouse in the Bronx. The Chief of D's is there, along with Deakins and Lieutenant Thomas , the head of the SWAT team. Just as Alex exits the van she was in, another pulls up and Goren steps out. They exchange a quick glance before Lt. Thomas addresses them.

"Detectives, as you've already been told, Lloyd Wilkes has escaped. And given the fact that he's killed Judge Freeman, and attempted to kill ADA Carver, we believe his next targets are the two of you." Thomas pauses but no one interrupts him so he continues. "We are working with the FBI to find this guy, but in the mean time, we need to get the two of you out of circulation. Immediately."

Bobby can't help but protest, "I think we'd able to help to find him."

Deakins responds to his detective, "That's out of the question. This guy is a hunter, and a disciplined one at that. We've seen his skill, and we can't take any chances." Deakins keeps his eye contact with Bobby. "Goren, we can stash you in an office upstairs. It's bleak but you'll manage." Then he turns to Alex. "I've arranged for you to be brought to a convent out in Patterson, you'll be safe there."

Bobby's eyes widen as he hears Deakins' plan. "Captain, no! If we're going into hiding, we're going together." Then he lowers his voice, so only the planning team and Eames could hear him. "I know a place… a place that we'll be safe."

Deakins already figured that Bobby wouldn't approve of the original plan, so he isn't surprised that his detective has another option in mind. He just hopes everyone else will go for it.

Thomas speaks up, "I don't know, Detective, I think it's better if we control your surroundings."

Bobby is getting angry and he's trying to control his voice, "I don't agree, Lieutenant. I can get Eames and myself to a safe location, and we can wait this out there. I like knowing we're together, in case he does find either one of us."

Thomas gives Deakins and the chief a concerned look, then the chief speaks, "If you like Goren's plan, I'll approve it. It's up to you, Thomas."

Goren looks to Eames. He sees she looks mad, but she nods her willingness to trust him. He nods back then turns to the men and begins to speak quickly.

"We'll need a no-name cell phone, and some spending cash."

"That's it?" Deakins asks.

"Yes. Well, I also need to make a phone call. My buddy will drop off a car for us out in Bronxville. You get us there, and we'll be gone."

Deakins looks at Alex. "Eames, are you okay with this? Would you rather stick with the original plan?"

Alex shakes her head, "I like Goren's plan, Captain. But, I do have concerns for my family." Bobby notices she sounds upset, but he can't tell if it's with him or the situation.

Deakins briefly touches Alex's forearm, "I should have said something sooner, we have detectives at your parents' home. Your dad is giving them the addresses of your brother's and sister's and we'll send unit's to sit watch over them as well." Then he looks at Goren, he knows what his answer will be, but he feels it isn't right not to ask. "Goren, is there anyone…" He lets the question trail off as he sees Bobby shake his head. He speaks softly and Alex is certain she senses uneasiness or possibly embarrassment from Bobby so she looks down as he speaks. "Uh, no…no sir. My mom is safe where she is…and well…that's all I need to worry about."

Thomas walks over to his vehicle, then returns with a cell phone. "Use this to call your friend. Give captain Deakins your own phones, I don't even want them with you incase he has the ability to track with GPS. We'll have your no-name cell and your cash here in a few minutes. Then once your friend has the car in place, we'll move."

"Okay, Lieu." Bobby looks at Alex once Thomas walks away again. Once she realizes he's reading her she changes her expression and gives him a small smile.

He sees beyond the smile. He knows she trusts him, but he's certain he also sees apprehension and anger. He motions with his head toward a quiet corner, he wants to ask her if she's really okay with all this, but she shakes hers back at him and walks away.

--

**One hour later: **

They're settled in the car, heading north on I95. Alex isn't saying a word and Bobby keeps glancing over at her as he tries to decide whether to speak or not. He knows she's pissed, but he's clueless past that.

He hesitates a little as he begins, "Do…do you want to know where we're going?" He peeks over at her, she's staring forward as he drives.

"Whatever."

He bites his lip a little. He knows he's in for it.

--

**Two hours later:**

Bobby ventures to speak again. "I could sure use a bathroom break, how 'bout you?"

"Whatever."

_SHIT._

--

**Three hours later:**

Bobby pulls off the exit and Alex stirs. She had fallen asleep just as they crossed the border from Connecticut to Massachusetts. Now they were in Vermont. Alex straightens herself up as she takes in their surroundings. Bobby pulls into a Price Chopper parking lot and finds a parking spot.

"Where are we?" Alex sounds sleepy and it tugs a little at Bobby's heart.

He knows she's mad about something, so he keeps his answer brief. He's hoping not to add to her mood. "We're in Brattleboro Vermont. We'll get some food and head to the house."

She snaps at him. "And will I ever get to know where that is? Or are you in charge of that, also?"

_Okay, now I know why she's mad_. _I asked her before and she gave me "whatever." What the hell? Was I supposed to answer her?_

Instead of answering her, again Bobby ignores her and gets out of the car.

--

They get their food and supplies and drive down dirt roads for about twenty minutes. In what seems to be the middle of know-where, Bobby slows down and turns into a driveway. The driveway is steep and full of twists and turns. Alex can't quite see out the windows because it's so dark, but she can tell they are going deep into the woods. After about a mile, they take a sharp left turn and drive through a clearing. Then just beyond the clearing she see's a circular driveway and then as the car rounds the driveway, the head lights shine on a house.

"Who's house is this?"

"It belongs to Lewis' family. His dad built in the early sixties. It took him two years. I was lucky enough be invited up here when I was a kid..."

--

The house is a small A-Frame that looks a bit worn, but still in decent enough shape. Ten stairs lead up to a narrow porch that runs the length of the house. Directly in the middle of the porch is a storm door, and Alex assumes that leads to a small entryway, and the front door is inside of that. Wood is piled up on either side of the door, and beyond the wood are various things like a broom, an axe, and an old wooden bench.

She sits in the car and watches Bobby as he gets out of it. He leaves the car running and the headlights on, but still uses a flashlight as he climbs the stairs and makes his way across the porch to the door. She see's him feel around the doorframe, she assumes it's for a key. Alex can't help but roll her eyes. _How fucking original is that_?

Once he finds the key and unlocks the door, he comes back to her and she grabs her bag and some groceries as she gets out of the car.

--

Bobby enters the house first and turns on some lights as he makes his way through the rooms. "I'm gonna go down stairs and turn on the water."

Alex doesn't acknowledge him as she slowly makes her way inside.

The inside of the cabin is dated but clean. There is an industrial grade red rug that runs from the front door through the kitchen. As Alex starts down the hall, she sees a bathroom on her left and a bedroom on her right. The kitchen is next. It's got a red countertop that doesn't quite match the carpet, but she has a feeling it wasn't meant to. It also has an adorable diamond shaped window over the sink and she can imagine that the daytime view from it must be serene.

She steps through the kitchen to the living room. The red rug stopps at the kitchen's boundary, now there is hard wood floor and a blue, pink and white area rug in the middle of the room. There is a blue couch on one side, two blue and white chairs on the other. Next to the chairs is a round, wooden kitchen table and six chairs. The furniture is all old but functional, she feels cozy and a sense of comfort as she stands in the middle of the room. The far end of the living room is not a wall, but a large sliding glass door that looks like it opens up to another deck. Alex finds herself looking forward to the morning so she can get a better look at their surroundings.

As she turns she sees a beautiful stone fireplace with a wood stove insert built in. There is a hand carved sign above it that reads, "Tall Timbers". Alex reaches up and touches the outline of the letters. Bobby comes up from the basement and sees her admiring the sign.

"Lewis' dad made that sign when we were little kids. I was here when he hung it up. And this fireplace…he put this together stone by stone. He said it took seven months to build."

Despite being angry, she couldn't help her response. "It's beautiful."

He stands behind her and watches her. He's afraid to say anything, he's hoping her mood is softening.

After a few minutes, Alex speaks. "So, there's only one bedroom?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Okay then, I'm exhausted and it's almost morning so I'm gonna get some sleep." She grabs her bag and disappears into the bedroom. A minute later, she uses the bathroom, then goes back to the bedroom and closes the door.

Bobby finds he's not surprised by her actions. He waits until she's closed the bedroom door, then he uses the bathroom. After that he removes his jeans, grabs a throw pillow and blanket and gets comfy on the couch. Even though he can see the pitch blackness of the night starting to soften at the beginning of daylight, he falls asleep in minutes.

--

**Tbc…**


	2. Chapter 2

--

Alex wakes up and she's cold. She's still tired, but the sun is bright and she smells coffee. So instead of curling up and going back to sleep, she gets up. After using the bathroom, she wraps her comforter around her and shuffles out to find Bobby. She makes her way through the kitchen, into the living room, and sees the sliding door is open. She pops her head out the door and finds Bobby sitting in one of two adirondack chairs, his nose is stuffed in a book. He's got on an unbuttoned plaid flannel shirt over a dark t-shirt. She can't tell if it's black or blue. His jeans are faded and he's barefoot. One of his feet is resting on the empty adirondack chair, the other is on the deck.

He senses her there and looks up at her as she steps onto the deck.

"G'morning." He's still wary of saying the wrong thing because he assumes she's still mad about something.

"Morning." She answers as she looks around at the property.

"Coffee's fresh."

She shuffles back into the house and he smiles at the sight of her with her sleepy eyes and rumpled hair. A minute later she reappears, mug in hand, and heads for the chair. He puts his foot down on the deck so she can sit but she doesn't. Instead she leans against the railing and looks at him. He sees her frustrated look is still there and decides it's best to wait for her to speak.

"Do you think I can't protect myself?"

Bobby rests his book on his lap. "Of course not."

"Well it sounded that way to me when you, Deakins and Thomas were discussing me and my safety."

"Eames."

"Don't Eames me, Bobby. I have a right to be mad. And it makes me even madder to think you that don't understand that."

He thinks back to the warehouse and the conversation that took place. "I really don't know what the problem is."

"See that's just it...you wouldn't think there was a problem because you don't know what it's like to be a woman in a 'man's job'." She puts her mug on the railing and pulls the comforter a little tighter.

He gives her what he hopes is an understanding look. "Tell me."

"Well, first off, they were going to leave **you** in that warehouse, but they were going to hide me in a convent! A friggin' **convent**?! Why? Because I could blend in with all the other little women? Then you pipe up because you didn't like that idea. You said, and I quote, 'I like knowing we're together, in case he does find either one of us.' What the fuck, Bobby?! I know exactly what you meant by that." She glares at him.

"Go ahead, Eames…tell me what **I** **meant**." He glares back.

"Would you want me with you if Wilkes got to you? No, you wouldn't. **But,** you would want to be with me if he got to me, because you don't think I can protect myself!"

He takes a big breath. He knows she's right. "Eames...I'm sorry. I didn't realize I even did that but you're right. I did say that and I guess I meant it the way it sounded."

She opens her eyes wide because she's taken back a bit by his confession, she wasn't expecting it.

When she doesn't say anything he continues, "You're my partner, and my first instinct is to want to watch out for you...And maybe it's true that I might overdo it a little because...you're...you're a...woman."

She picks up her mug and finally sits down. "It's just, throughout my whole career, there has always been somebody… some guy…who will make remarks about women being cops...you can imagine how much it pisses me off."

He nods.

"So when I had you and Deakins talking about me, first off , like I wasn't even there, and then treating me like I can't take care of myself...well...it really, really got me mad."

"Eames, I truly am very sorry." He gives her a sincere look.

"Thank you, Bobby. Thank you for understanding."

The conversations ends and they sit quietly for a while.

--

"So did you spend a lot of time up here?"

"Not as much as I had wanted to. Lewis's mom would invite me all the time, but my mom only let me go when she was in the mood to say yes."

Her heart breaks for the little boy he once was. She thinks of how sad he must have been when his mom would say no.

"Where would the kids sleep? On the living room floor?"

"Uh, no." Bobby stands up. "C'mere, I'll show you upstairs." She follows him into the living room and waits while he puts on a pair of socks and boots. She drops the comforter on a chair and he sees that she's in navy sweat pants and a white sweatshirt. He looks down to check to make sure she has something on her feet before going upstairs. "You may want to put on some sneakers or something."

She looks at his boots then at her socks. "Oh, yeah. Let me get them." As she disappears into the bedroom she continues talking. "I can't believe you thought to bring hiking boots in the two minutes you had to pack."

He waits to reply until he sees her again. "Well, once Deakins told me what was going on, I thought of this place."

She nods at him. "All I have are these sneakers and the flip flops I ran out of my house in."

He gets up as he speaks. "Well, there's a general store in a little town that's not too far from here. We'll run down there today or tomorrow and get you some hiking boots, and some good food."

"Sounds good."

She watches Bobby walk past the fireplace to a corner of the room. There's a thick blanket hanging from the ceiling, and when he pushes it aside he reveals not a wall, but an alcove which leads to a set of stairs.

He realizes she isn't following him, so before he goes up the stairs he turns back and motions for her to follow him. "It's pretty rustic up here, but I thought it was the coolest thing when I was a kid."

As she reaches the top of the stairs, Alex quickly determines that rustic is an understatement. Over the years, it seems that the room had been turned into a storage facility. Old furniture and tools were piled up all over the place. Alex does see an old bunk bed, as well as a mattress turned on its side. But it's obvious neither had been used in many decades. Cob webs and dead flies littered every surface up there.

"Wow."

Bobby chuckles a little at her reaction. "Yeah, well trust me, if you were nine and it was a little cleaner, you'd be in heaven right now."

"I'll take your word for it." She snarked.

"The best part is there's no electricity up here, so Lewis had to use a flashlight to get up to bed every night. We pretended we were camping."

She looks around the room, then smiles as she looks back at him, "Looks like you didn't have to pretend too hard."

He smiles as he nods. "I guess so…but back then we loved it."

"So does anyone come up here anymore?"

"Yeah, Lewis and his parents both come up for weekend visits. But Lewis is alone, or has a…just one friend…with him, so he only needs the one bedroom, too."

She can't help but laugh a little at Bobby's weak attempt at discretion. "It's surprising Lewis is still single considering this place must be such a magnet for hot chicks."

--

"It's getting pretty warm out already." They're eating breakfast on the deck. Bobby takes off his flannel shirt and Alex sees that the t-shirt he's wearing is black.

Alex agrees. "I'm surprised I'm getting warm considering how cold I was this morning."

"Well, if it gets too hot out, there's a small stream that runs through the property down there." He points over Alex's shoulder.

"I didn't bring a bathing suit…don't tell me you did."

He smiles at her. "No. No, I didn't, but I bet the general store will have something."

She looks at him skeptically. "Sounds like quite a store. I can get hiking boots **and** a bathing suit?"

He laughs. "Sure…and, we can pick up some bb's. There are some bb guns here but they're almost out of pellets." He points to the small gathering of trees below them. Alex looks at them and sees targets on the trees and all different kinds of old, rusty cans set out on old stumps stuck on branches.

She looks at him seriously. "Do they have other weapons up here? Just in case?"

Bobby nods. "They have two rifles…both Brownings… and one hand gun…an old Enfield." He raises his eyes with excitement.

"Amo?"

"Plenty. We can even target shoot with those if we want."

Alex stands up. "Sounds good. But for now, I need to get into cooler clothes." She gets her cereal bowl and coffee cup and brings them to the kitchen.

Bobby follows her inside. "You get changed and then we'll go into town."

--

Bobby is just finishing up the dishes when Alex comes out of the bedroom. "All set," she announces and he turns to her. He does a double take when he sees that she changed into a pair of dark blue running shorts and a tight fitting light gray tank top. He clears his throat and quickly turns away in an attempt to hide the fact that he's blushing. He realizes that he never sees Eames in anything but work clothes, but he's not shocked to find he really likes to see this side of her.

"You staying in jeans? Aren't you gonna be hot?" She's talking to him but he's afraid to look at her because he knows he's going to stare at her bare legs. He busies himself with finding his wallet and his keys. "I'm fine like this. Let's, uh…let's just go." He tries to lead the way, but she's right in front of him. So instead she turns, and as they make their way out the door and down the stairs, he can't take his eyes off of her.

--

Once they're in the car, Alex says, "I tried the cell phone up here, but we have no reception. We'll see if we get any in town and check in with Deakins. Maybe they've caught him and we don't have to go bathing suit and hiking boot shopping after all."

"Good idea. But if we do have to shop, don't forget the bb's. I think we'll have fun setting up a shooting range." He smiles at her and can't help it as his eyes rake up and down her body. She pretends not to notice him and forces herself not to smile.

The ride to town takes about twenty minutes. They put the windows down and crank the music.

--

Alex calls Deakins once they reach town. Bobby listens to the brief update. There's been no trace of Wilkes yet. Alex hangs up and turns the phone off right away.

--

"I still can't believe they had bathing suits in that place." Alex laughs as they both juggle the bags of clothes and food.

"They have **everything** there…they even have sleds in the winter."

"And that butcher shop looked great. I can't wait for dinner tonight. Let's stop and get some wine or beer before we go up to the house…If we're gonna be stuck there, we might as well enjoy it!"

Their banter is all so light and easy and not one bit of it is lost on either of them. They know that they already spend most of their lives together, but this is much different. This is not under the constant watch of their captain and the NYPD. This is just them. They're essentially cut off from the rest of the world and they're both finding it very exciting, though neither would admit it.

--

Back at the house, they spend some time being lazy. They both find books that interest them and they read out on the deck. They nap a little, then have some lunch. After lunch, Bobby brings Alex to the basement. It's very small. It only has the water heater in it, and a locked chest. He shows Alex where the key is hidden, then opens the chest and pulls out the guns. They bring all three guns upstairs and clean each of them. Once they're clean, they take turns shooting them, to make sure they're both comfortable with them. After that, they take the guns and their ammunition and hide them around the house.

"Now let's play!" Alex smiles at Bobby as she holds up the bb guns to him. They spend the rest of the afternoon target shooting with the pellet rifles.

--

They decide they will take turns cooking dinner, and Bobby chooses to go first. While he gets dinner ready, Alex explores the cabinets in the living room. One cabinet is filled with sewing and needlepoint supplies. _Uh, no. Nothing in here_. She moves onto the next one. _More books…good to know…but not what I'm hoping to find_.

He watches her as she's searching. He thinks she looks as if she's executing a search warrant. The major difference being she's in bare feet along with her tank-top and shorts. He decides he enjoys watching this Eames very much. He thinks there is a wistfulness about her; a light and carefree air about her that makes him feel lighter as well.

She has to drag one of the chairs out of the way to get to the next cabinet. _This better be worth it_. She wedges herself between the chair and the cabinet she had previously looked in. The minute she opens the third cabinet she knows she hit pay dirt. Alex can't help but give a "wow" as she looks at the content of the shelves.

_I think every game I played when I was young is in here_! Monopoly, Life, Trouble, and Memory are the first ones she sees. She sits on her heels as she scans the rest of the games. "Oh my God, look at these, Bobby!" She pulls out Stratego and Connect Four first. "Oh, **we** are playing these games later and I am **so** gonna kick you ass."

"Oh, really…you think you can take me with those?" Bobby feels the adrenaline rush of competition.

"You bet your ass I can! I've been the Eames Champion with these two games since I was twelve."

"Well, tonight… your goin' down!"

"Talk all the smack you want, but you're still gonna lose!"

She laughs but he can tell she's serious about her intent to beat him. He decides he can't let that happen.

--

The dinner dishes sit drying on the side of the sink, an empty bottle of wine is on the counter.

She beats him fair and square at Connect Four…several times so they move onto Stratego. He proves to be stronger competition for her with that game, but she's still got the upper hand. Her pieces have just about surrounded his, she's trying not to gloat.

He looks up from the board to see her eyes fluttering closed. "How about we put this on hold until morning," he suggests.

She yawns in response and he smiles at her.

"Okay, but I get the couch tonight, Bobby…it's only fair."

"No, Eames. I'm fine out here. Besides, I'm not much of a sleeper and I like to move around at night. If you're out here, I'll be stuck in that one room until you wake up." She thinks about how he was already up when she woke up.

"The couch is comfy?"

"Yup, I'll be fine."

"Alright then, if you insist."

--

He listens to her get ready for bed. She says good night then closes her door. He goes to the bathroom, too, and on his way out of it, he hears her call him. He knocks on the door and opens it cautiously. She's lying in bed, her blankets are only pulled up to her waist. She's on her back, one hand is on her stomach and the other is behind her head. His stomach does a flop and his groin tightens at the sight of her.

He swallows hard. "Eames?"

"Bobby…what happens if Wilkes just disappears?...I mean, we could be up here for a very long time."

Bobby has to force himself to focus on what she's saying because the sight of her is driving him crazy. "Well…I would think if they can't find him, that they'll have to set some kind of decoy for him."

She thinks about what he said and furrows her brow. "That could be very dangerous."

He nods. "Let's hope we don't have to worry about this playing out that way."

She adjusts from laying on her back to her side.

He stands there staring at her.

"I'm sorry that I bothered you, I hope I didn't worry you…"

He realizes she's trying to get him to leave. "Uh…no. No bother. Um, good - goodnight, Eames."

He hears he say goodnight back as he closes her door.

He slides onto the couch still thinking of Alex. He knows how wrong it is, but he can't help it. Images of her throughout the day flash up one by one, and he finds himself getting more and more aroused. For almost five years, he's worked very hard at not allowing thoughts like these into his head. But now he's surrounded by them and he decides that for tonight, he's not going to fight them. He lies awake for a long time thinking of nothing but her.

--

**Tbc…**


	3. Chapter 3

--

Eames, once again, wraps herself in her comforter and shuffles out of her room. She smells coffee and bacon and it's too much for her to resist. Before she goes out to the deck where she knows Bobby is sitting, she pulls a coffee cup from the cupboard and pours herself a steamy mug full. She takes a moment to look out the window above the kitchen sink and realizes she was correct in her first assessment, it holds a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains. She spends some time just taking in the woods, both near and far, then focuses on her coffee. After fixing it just right, she proceeds out to the deck.

Bobby hears her in the kitchen and can't help but feel happy. He knows she's on her way out to see him.

"Hey." She says as she makes her way to the chair.

"Good morning…sleep okay?" He says as he tries to figure out what she has on under her blanket.

"Like a rock. I mean, I know we're in hiding, but this place is really relaxing."

He knows what she means. Because they aren't in constant contact with Deakins, he feels very relaxed himself. He knows he should be more vigilant, but he can't imagine Wilkes finding them since the NYPD doesn't even know where they are.

He studies her for another minute. "I guess before we do anything, we should run into town and check in with the Captain."

Alex nods her head in agreement. They sit quietly for a few minutes and Alex is again admiring the peacefulness of the woods. At one point, her blanket slips open and he sees she's in a t-shirt and she's not wearing a bra. Then he wonders if she's wearing pants. She sees him inspecting her and she pulls the comforter tighter again. That's when he realizes he was right, no pants. He has to turn away from her so she doesn't see him blush.

--

The trip into town proves fruitless. Wilkes' whereabouts is still unknown. They get back to the house and go their separate ways. Bobby heads for a shed at the corner of the clearing while Eames creeps back up the stairs into the web-infested second floor.

After a while of investigating, Eames heads back downstairs and nestles into the couch with a newspaper they picked up in town. She's half way through it when she hears an engine. She pokes her head up and listens as Bobby attempts to start…something. What, she has no idea.

The noise pulls her to her feet, and she makes her way out to the deck. At that point, she hears the motor start, and she realizes it's a motorcycle of some kind. Just then, she sees Bobby ride around into her view on an old dirt bike.

"Wow! Look at that!" She shouts over the sound of the bike.

Bobby sits proudly on the old motorcycle. "Come for a ride."

"Be right down!" Eames goes back into the house. She keeps her tank top on, but changes into a pair of sweatpants and her hiking boots. Bobby takes a short ride, then waits for her at the bottom of the stairs. He sees her in her outfit and smiles.

Alex climbs onto the back of the bike and grabs onto the handle bars on the side of the seat. Bobby leans back and shouts over the engine noise, "You need to hold onto me. If we dump the bike, you want to fall off with me instead of hanging on to this and getting dragged by it."

Without another thought, Alex releases the handle bars and wraps her hands around Bobby's waist. As soon as she has a firm grip, he floors it and they take off into the woods.

--

"These are old logging roads, they run all the way to the top of the mountain…which is also the top of the Lewis' property." Bobby stops five minutes into their trip. He turns off the engine and explains their surroundings. They're still on the bike, and Alex still has her hands on Bobby's waist, despite the fact that they're stopped. He can feel her legs pressed against his, and while he thinks that she might be trying not to let her breasts rub against his back, they are and he can feel their gentle presence nonetheless.

"Can we go further up?" Alex likes the idea of holding onto Bobby, and she's hoping this isn't the end of the tour. "Sure…let's go!" He starts up the bike again and they take off.

They make their way to the top of the mountain, then head back down along another logging road. A short time later, they come across a stream and a mud hole. Bobby slows down to tell Alex a story. He turns his head a little to make sure she hears him. "When we were young, Lewis and I would come up here on the dirt bikes and coat ourselves in mud…it was always so much fun."

Alex leans into him and puts her mouth close to his ear, "Let's do it!"

Bobby gets a little thrown, not only by her proximity but also by her enthusiasm. "Wha - what?"

"C'mon, Bobby! Let's go in the mud!" Now he definitely feels her breasts firmly pressed against his back as she leans in to speak into his ear. His legs go wobbly. "Let's go!"

He doesn't need anymore prompting. He runs the bike through the mud hole, then turns and does it again. Alex is screaming and burying her head in his shoulder blade as she gets caked in mud. Bobby hears the joy and freedom in her voice and he can't help but shout out himself. They spend a long time screaming in happiness as Bobby drives back and forth through the mud hole.

On their way back down the mountain, Bobby notices that Alex is quiet. He also notices that her hands have moved from his waist to being tightly drawn across his stomach. Her belly and chest are resting right up against his back, and her head is tilted sideways and leaning on his right arm. He waits until their back at the house to address her position.

"You okay?"

She's pulled from her daydream by his words, "Yeah…I'm fine."

The whole way down the mountain, Alex thought of how this was the first time in years that she really let loose. She knows that it's no coincidence that it's with her partner. She tries to shake her melancholy but she can't do it fast enough.

"No you're not. Tell me what's wrong." Bobby's turns off the engine, but he doesn't attempt to move them off the bike.

She sighs. "I'm just thinking that this is the most fun I've had in a long, long time."

"Me, too." He says without turning around.

--


	4. Chapter 4

**For my girl...Humor in a bittersweet life. Happy Birthday!**

--

They get back to the house and decide they can't go anywhere near it with all the mud that's caked all over them. Bobby tells Alex he'll take them to a stream so they can rinse off. They leave the dirt bike and walk a short way down the driveway where there's a stream that runs along side of it. The water is freezing, but they manage to clean a lot of the mud off of themselves. Once they get back to the house, Bobby turns to Alex. "Why don't you shower while I find the hose to rinse this bike off a little."

"Sounds good." She stops on the stairs and removes her boots then leaves them to dry on the railing. She pulls her socks off and hangs them next to her boots. "Oh God, everything is still soaked!" Bobby looks when she says that and sees her wringing out the bottoms of her pants.

"We can hit the Laundromat in town if you'd like," he suggests.

"I'm actually gonna have to, this was my only pair of pants...and my only bra."

She misses the semi-shocked look on his face at her last comment. She gives her pants one last squeeze then heads inside.

--

She emerges a short time later in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Bobby quickly checks her out, knowing that she doesn't have another bra. He can see her bathing suit string tied around her neck, so he knows she has that on underneath.

She watches him as he puts his boots and socks next to hers on the railing. "Do you think our boots will dry quickly?" She asks, trying to avoid staring at him as he pulls his t-shirt over his head and adds it to the railing.

He steps toward her a little and she can't help but run her eyes up and down his chest.

"Yeah, they should...the sun is hot today...it shouldn't take too long."

She sees him eye her bathing suit strings, so she knows he was curious as to what she would have on.

"I'll grab a garbage bag for our wet stuff...I have all my other dirty clothes in my backpack inside. Feel free to put yours in there, too."

"Uh, okay. I'll shower and then we can go."

Bobby opens the bathroom door when he's finished with his shower. He puts his wet clothes in the garbage bag, throws his dirty clothes in her backpack then they head out the door. He took her lead and put on his bathing suit along with a t-shirt. He knows of a great swimming hole nearby if it gets too hot, so he wanted to be ready.

--

They find the Laundromat and stay in it while the clothes are being washed, then head to the general store while their things are drying.

"Damn it's hot out." Eames can't help herself, the sun is really beating down.

"I have an idea, there's a great swimming hole that's not too far from here…we can stop there on the way back. You'll like it."

"Sounds great, we have some bath towels in the laundry…we can use those…why don't we pick up some food and beer and have a picnic."

Bobby nods his head and the two of them do some shopping. They buy some sandwiches and beer and put them in a Styrofoam cooler. He loads the cooler into the car then looks at Alex.

"You wanna check with Deakins while I get our stuff?" Bobby asks as they return to the Laundromat.

"Good idea." Is all Alex says. She pulls out the phone and continues walking down the street. She calls Deakins and he tells her there's still no sign of Wilkes. She ends the call and slowly heads back to the car.

Bobby gets their clothes and finds himself enjoying the whole experience. He has the pleasure of separating and folding Alex's clothes, including her undies and bra. _Hmmm, boy shorts, huh Alex? I always wondered if you were a thong girl or not._ He likes the different colored panties, and the pretty blue bra. Bobby knows he better get the clothes folded and out of sight, so Alex doesn't see him going through her stuff. But not matter how fast he works, he knows the thought of his partner in that blue bra with matching panties would be enough to send him reeling for the rest of the day.

That is…until he sees her in her bikini.

--

The swimming hole is perfect. It's formed where a lazy river spills over a picturesque waterfall. The pool that's created below becomes deep and still before the water continues it's journey down a rock filled stream. There are large boulders surrounding the hole, each one is flat and heated by the sun; just right for warming yourself after bathing in the cold mountain water. As if the pool wasn't beautiful enough, a red covered bridge runs over it, offering a stunning backdrop to an already ideal setting.

"My God, Bobby…this is beautiful."

Bobby can't help but puff up with pride. He knows he had nothing to do with creating this place, but hearing Alex's reaction makes him feel like he built it just for her.

Feeling shy nonetheless, Bobby tilts his head down. He knows he's about to see her in her bathing suit, and she'll see him in his. He can't help but feel like this is a turning point for them. "You, uh, wanna go for a swim?"

She's oblivious to his tone because she's still gawking at the scene in front of her. "Sure!"

She hops out of the car and heads to the water. He grabs the towels and the cooler from the back of the car and follows her to the water's edge. He watches her slip her flip flops off as she gets closer, so he takes his sandals off, too.

Alex splashes the water around with her feet. The thought of playing under the waterfall is enough to make her overlook how cool the water is. She looks out at the waterfall, then pulls her shirt and shorts off, exposing the bikini she bought at the general store. The suit is small, but fits her perfectly. It's made of cotton and it has a woven white and yellow checker pattern. The top is tied at both the neck and around the back, and the bottom ties at each side of her hips. Bobby can't take his eyes off of her.

"You ready?" She smiles up at him playfully but stops short when she sees him unabashedly checking her out. "Hey…Goren!" She teases.

He shakes his head slightly and finally forces his eyes off her body to meet her gaze. His mouth opens but he doesn't speak.

Knowing she made her partner speechless gives her quite a rush, but she feels bad for him so she tries to help him out. "Not bad for a general store suit, right?"

His eyes widen and he nods several times, "You can say that again." His voice was deep and sexy.

She feels her body heat up and react to Bobby's words. She's sure she must be blushing so she walks into the water and once she's waist high, she dives in.

He's smiling at her as she surfaces. "Pretty cold, huh?"

She floats around, keeping her head just above the water. "It is, but it's not as cold as the stream at the house…c'mon…let's go check out the waterfall." She slowly swims toward it but keeps her eye on Bobby as he makes his way deeper into the water and closer to her. His broad chest and long legs have not gone unnoticed by her. And as he gets wet, his hair turns to small curls and she finds herself wishing she could run her hands through them, then over his chest.

They float around for a while, sometimes they talk and sometimes they're silent. They try standing under the waterfall, but the water is very strong and it hurts a little, so instead they try to float right at the point where the water bubbles up but the current pushes them away. Bobby eventually finds a rock to hang onto and Alex hangs onto his hand so they can feel the rush of the water just before it reaches the deep pool and calms down.

After a while, Alex starts to feel cold. "I'm gonna go warm up," Alex tells him as she lets go of his hand and swims back over to the side. Bobby watches her get up and lay, belly down, on a large boulder. Before he knows it, he's getting out of the water and joining her.

He lays on his side and faces her. He takes full advantage of her eyes being closed and studies every part of her back, then lets his eyes wander over her butt and down her legs.

He knows she'd totally catch him if she opens her eyes, but at the moment, he couldn't care less. He struggles to keep his hands to himself but feels like he's losing the battle quickly.

"Alex." The word is out of his mouth before he realizes it.

She opens her eyes, sees the look in his own and feels her body flush. She raises herself up on her elbows and their eyes lock.

He realizes she's waiting for him to continue speaking, so before he knows it, he says what he's thinking, "You look…really good…beautiful."

Her heart races. "What are we doin' here, Bobby?"

Instead of answering with words, he shows her what they're doing. He takes his hand and runs one finger down her back, stopping at her bathing suit bottom. Her head dips down and her mouth drops open. As he runs his finger back up toward her neck, he dips down and gives her shoulder a gentle kiss.

--


	5. Chapter 5

--

Alex arches her back involuntarily as Bobby runs his finger up her back, but then gets a hold of herself and stiffens when he kisses her.

Bobby feels her body stiffen and pulls his hand away. "I'm…I'm sorry." He gets up off the rock as Alex turns and sits up.

"C'mon, Bobby…I know you're used to," she uses air quotes, "**dating** a lot of women, but please don't hit on me just because I'm the only one presently available to you."

Instead of being understanding, he takes a defensive stance. "So you're available to me?" His tone is icy.

"That's **not** what I meant." She sounds just as cold.

"Sure sounded like it to me." He turns, gets a sandwich and a beer from the cooler, then sits down on another rock.

Alex watches him, and when she realizes that he's ignoring her she gets up and gets her own lunch then goes back to where she had been sitting. "Don't be such an ass." She doesn't look at him.

After a long, angry silence, Bobby breaks tension. "Just for your information, I am not used to **dating** a lot."

Alex harrumph's at his statement but continues eating. He just stares at her.

"Why do you think that I do?" He still sounds angry at her rejection.

"Look at you, Bobby!" She blurts out. He gives her a questioning look then asks her, "What is **that** supposed to mean?"

"What I mean is… you're a very handsome guy, and you can be charming as hell when you want to be. I've never seen a women not swoon at your feet when you turn on that Goren charm of yours."

"And?" He was baiting her.

"And…and…well I'm not gonna be one of those women, Bobby. I'm not gonna let you seduce me just because you're in the mood and I happen to be the only woman you currently have any contact with."

"And that's what you think I was doing?"

"I know that's what you were doing."

Bobby lets the conversation end with that. He finishes eating, downs the rest of his beer, then lies back on the rock and waits for Alex to indicate she wants to leave.

He expected her to want go right away, so it surprises him to hear to go back into the water. Despite being angry and hurt by what she said, he can't help but watch her as she swims.

His pride got the best of him earlier, but now that he's calmed down he understands what she was thinking. She has seen him flirt with women many times, sometimes work-related, and sometimes just women that they encountered throughout the day. He knows she's heard stories of who he's dated at One PP, he knows the reputation he has. He also knows he has never flirted with her once. He couldn't. That doesn't mean he didn't want to, but she doesn't know that.

Regardless, Bobby feels it's important to let Alex know his intentions were sincere. He knows that he has to let her know he wasn't playing her.

Alex floats in the water and can feel his eyes on her but she refuses to look his way. She can't get the look in his eyes, or the feel of his touch, out of her mind. If she's honest with herself, she knows she liked it, and wants more from him. But she really believes she's not his type and she's afraid he was just hitting on her because she was there. She thinks of how he was looking at her again, and as much as she wants to believe it was an act…deep down…she knows it wasn't. But, she's too afraid to take a chance with him like that. She knows it's better for both of them if they leave what happened on that rock, on that rock.

--

"Ready?"

His voice startles her from her sleep. When she got out of the water, she had lay back down on the rock, and didn't realize she had dozed off. "What time is it?"

"Almost four."

"Wow…I've been asleep for a while." She sits up and looks at her belly. She pokes it a couple of times and sees her skin turn white then quickly back to red. "Damn, I never put on sun block." She stands up and looks at the back of her legs. "I'm so burnt!"

He's making a point of not looking at her and she picks up on it. "It's okay to look at me, Goren! Geez, is this how it's gonna be from now on?"

He ignores her, grabs the cooler, and walks to the car.

--

They belt in and he puts the car in drive, but then puts it back in park and turns to her. "Look, Eames… I'm sorry. I'm sorry I touched you…and then kissed you. I should never have let that happen. It's just…I guess I got caught up in the freedom we've been feeling up here. I let my feelings…my…desire…get the best of me. And for that…I apologize. It won't happen again." He stopped short of saying my feelings and desire_ for you_. He was too afraid to put that out there.

He doesn't give her a chance to respond. He puts the car in drive again and speeds away in silence.

--

They get back to the house and as Bobby showers, Alex pulls their boots in off the railing then sweeps the dried mud off the porch. Bobby comes out of the bathroom with some aloe vera in his hand. "I found this under the sink. It should help ease your burn."

She takes the bottle. "It's really bad, huh?" She looks at her arms and the back of her legs.

"Yeah, I think you're gonna be sore…but the aloe should help a little."

"Thanks." He watches her put the aloe in her bedroom, then go into the bathroom. As Alex showers, Bobby starts cutting some vegetables up for dinner.

He hears her come up behind him in the kitchen. "Do you think when you're done…you could just get the part of my back that I couldn't get?" She looks apologetic about asking him, especially after the way she acted earlier in the day.

Bobby turns and sees her holding the bottle of aloe in her hand. He also sees she isn't wearing all that much clothing. She has on pair of black shorts and a black tank top and he can't seem to take his eyes off of her outfit or the way she has her hair swept up into a haphazard bun.

She sees him looking and feels bad for her lack of clothes. "I'm sorry I'm dressed…like this…it's just that it hurts to wear clothes right now…this is the best I could do minimize the pain. I even put my hair up because I didn't want to feel it brushing against my shoulders."

"It - It's alright, Eames…you look…really nice." He can feel his face flush. "Uh, let me finish cutting up this cucumber then I can help you."

"Okay…how about I get us some wine or a beer?"

"I guess." He doesn't sound sincere.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, it's just I should have picked up some scotch when we were in town. That's what I could really go for right now."

Alex's face lights up. "Hang on!"

He sees her put on her flip flops then go upstairs and he wonders what the heck she's up to. Over his head he hears her rummaging around, a door close, then her footsteps quickly coming back down the stairs.

She approaches him with one hand behind her back and a big smile on her face. "Close your eyes."

"Eames."

"Seriously, Goren. Close 'em…or you don't get my surprise."

He can't help but smile at her, then reluctantly closes his eyes. Once he closes his eyes she watches him for a second and her smile gets bigger, then she pulls the bottle out from behind her back.

"Okay! Open them!"

He opens his eyes and sees her holding a up bottle of Johnny Walker. "Eames! **How'd** you find this?"

"Lucky for you, I went snooping when you were out with the dirt bike."

He takes the bottle from her and asks, "Can I pour you some?"

"How about, you finish the veggies, and I get our drinks?"

"Sure."

"You want yours straight up or on the rocks?"

"It hot out, so on the rocks would be nice, thanks."

She makes him his drink, then pours herself some white wine. She leaves his glass next to him, then she goes to turn on the radio to lighten the mood a little more. He takes a big sip of his drink and watches her make her way across the living room. She flips around the stations, and stops when she hears Jackson Browne.

On her way back, she slips her flip flops back off and she laughs a little at her as he takes another sip. "You like being barefoot."

"Honestly, it feels so good to be barefoot because I'm usually in my shoes with the big heals so I look a little taller next to you."

"I had a feeling that was why. But…I never mind your height. It's not something I ever really think about."

She moves over closer to him as he takes another sip of his drink, then refills it.

"That's easy for you to say…you're not the one who gets a crick in her neck every time we have a conversation standing up…see?" By now, she's standing directly in front of him and looking right into his eyes. He feels her so close and his heart races. He says the first thing that comes to his mind. "It's not so bad, Eames."

"Not so bad? Here…" She tugs on his arms, "stand up straight." He does so and then notices he has to look down a lot further since she has no shoes on. "Now do you see?"

She's laughing, but when she sees the look in his eyes, that same one from the rock, she becomes serious and steps back a little.

He swallows hard. "Eames…maybe this isn't such a good idea."

She looks down and scratches her forehead. "Uh, yeah. Sorry."

As she retreats from the kitchen and he sees her grab the bottle of aloe on her way out. He wrestles with himself, but decides to bring it up, "Didn't you need me to put that on you?"

She hesitates then turns back to him. "Um…yeah…well…if you still don't mind."

He holds out his hand and she gives him the bottle.

"I was able to get my shoulders and my lower back, it's just the middle part that I had a hard time with."

He squeezes some into his hand and she turns her back to him. "You'll probably have to move my shirt straps…and it's okay if you have to go under my shirt a little."

He closes his eyes and feels himself getting hard at the thought of slipping his hand under her shirt. He takes a deep breath and begins to rub the aloe around her back, just under her shoulders. He moves her shirt straps from side to side and he gently works in the cool gel.

"I'm, ah, I'm gonna put some a little lower now." He squeezes more into his hand.

"Here, will this help?" She lifts her shirt up a bit. He feels a wave of desire come over him as he realizes she doesn't have on a bra. He runs his hand back and forth across her mid-back, caressing her muscles and smooth skin, and he gets lost in the feeling. He isn't aware that he expanded the area and was slowly making his way lower and lower down her back.

"Uh, Bobby…I got that part." She really didn't want him to stop, but she knew she better say something before things got out of hand.

He clears his throat. "Oh, yeah…sorry…I guess that's it." He gently pulls her shirt back down and straightens out her shirt straps. Then he turns and washes his hands in the sink before he downs his drink in one gulp.

--

They eat dinner while sitting on the couch because they don't want to disturb their unfinished game of Stratego that's sitting on the kitchen table. After dinner they resume play, only to have Eames beat him soundly. He shakes his head and demands a rematch but she just laughs so they decide to move onto other games first. Next up is Battleship, which Bobby wins the three times they play it. Then they play a few rounds of checkers and he wins those as well. He accuses her of letting him win because she felt sorry for him but she assures him that she would never do any such thing. All along, Alex is drinking more wine, and Bobby's putting a pretty good dent in the bottle of scotch, and neither notice the time until it's almost one in the morning.

"Oh my God, look how late it is." Just looking at the clock makes her feel tired so she stretches and yawns and pulls herself up from the kitchen table.

He watches her stand up straight, follows her every move, then gives her a soft smile. "Good night Alex."

As she walks by him, she quickly runs her hands across the top of his head. "Goodnight, Bobby…don't stay up all night practicing Stratego because it won't help…I'll always kick your ass at that game."

They both laugh as he watches her retreat into the bedroom.

--

Tbc…


	6. Chapter 6

**For Judy…the inspiration for the game they play in this chapter. (and I'll apologize in advance to Jeffries. I really have nothing against him.)**

--

"This is a great place." Eames says to Goren over lunch. They went into town, and after hearing from Deakins that they're still on the lam, they decided to find a restaurant to unwind in.

The place is perfect. It's nestled in the crook of a river bend. There is both inside and outside dining, and the outside is partially covered by an awning. They decided to sit along the river's edge, but at a table that's protected from the sun…so Alex doesn't get more of a burn.

They're sipping Margarita's and having some nacho's as they peruse the menu a little more for a main course that they've decided to share. They finally decide on a French Dip sandwich with a salad, then they close their menus.

They order a bottle of white wine to go with their sandwich, then they look out over the river and enjoy the view. There are large wooden cut outs of oceanic creatures set out on floats. The floats are positioned in various parts of the river, but all in full view of the restaurant's patrons. Bobby and Alex have some fun examining each cut out and determining which sea creature they are all supposed to be.

"Are you missing home, Alex?"

She pauses. "Yeah, in some ways, I definitely am. I think that maybe it's because I don't know **when** we'll be able to go back." He nods his agreement and she continues. "But, another part of me is really enjoying this time up here. It's so beautiful and relaxing…I didn't think I'd be able to feel comfortable up here, but I really do." She looks at Bobby, "How about you?"

"Well, I don't miss home. I miss work, though."

She nods her head, and stabs at their salad.

By the time lunch is finished, as well as the wine, they are feeling more than a little buzzed. Before they both know it, they're holding hands at the table.

"Can you imagine what Deakins would say if he saw us now?" Alex asks with a devilish tone in her voice.

Bobby looks her right in the eyes, then leans in, kisses her hand, and says, "What do you think **that** would do to him?"

Alex laughs, but straightens back up. She wasn't expecting him to do that, and she's thrown off a bit. She likes holding his hand, but still, she's so afraid to let go. She decides the change the subject.

"Should we head out of here?"

Bobby lets go of her hand and shakes his head. "I think I need some time to sober up a bit before I drive."

"Oh, good idea." She looks toward the water. "Wanna take a walk?"

"Sure."

They pay for their lunch, then head down to the river. They follow the water's edge and when they come across a small beach they sit down. After sitting in silence for a while, Bobby lies down and rests his hands behind his head. Alex remains sitting but looks at him. "How about a game to pass the time?" He hears the tone of her voice and can tell that she's both playful and still pretty drunk. He decides to play along.

"What do you have in mind, Detective?" He gives her a quick smile.

"Ummm, how 'bout…I Spy?"

"Are we four, Eames?" They both laugh.

"Alright then…how 'bout…Truth or Dare?" Her devilish look from earlier is back. He can't resist it. He bites his bottom lip but doesn't take his eyes off her. "Sounds great."

"Cool." She turns so she's facing him but still sitting up. "I'll ask first."

"Truth or Dare, Goren."

He weighs his options. "Uh…truth." He knows he's playing with fire.

Alex thinks for a several seconds. "Okay, I've got one. Who do you hate in Major Case?"

Bobby ponders that for a very short time. "Hate's a strong word, Eames. I can honestly say that I don't hate anyone."

She looks at him skeptically. "Can I have a follow up? 'Cause that was a really lame answer."

He squints his eyes at her. "Sure. Go for it."

"Who…in Major Case…do you really not like…or not trust. Oh, and why?"

He thinks of calling her out on a triple question, but decides he better keep his nit-picking for a possible uncomfortable future query. "I'd have to say Jeffries. There's something about him that just," he shivers, "makes me wonder what the hell he does in the privacy of his own home."

Alex laughs and nods her head, satisfied with Bobby's response.

"My turn." He wiggles his eyes. "Truth or Dare?"

She hesitates and he sees that for the weakness that it is.

"Truth." She grimaces.

"Hmmmm, let me think." He glances over at her and gets a sinister look.

"Have you ever done anything really illegal?"

She laughs at bit. "I didn't realize there were levels of illegality, Goren. I was always taught something was illegal, or it wasn't."

He laughs with her. "I know, but I mean, did you do anything that would land you in jail as opposed to just paying a fine?"

"Ahhh…I see. Let me think."

"Oh, you have to think about it?" His big smile matches hers.

"Okay, well…there was this one time, my friends and I stole something."

"Oh! Continue, Detective Eames." He's still smiling.

She brightens up even more as she retells this story. "Well…I was seventeen and there was this dairy store in our town. It had a huge fake cow that stood outside of it. All day long, mommy's would bring their little kids and haul them up onto the cow and their kids would laugh and scream about it, then they'd go shopping. So…we were dared to steal it. We thought about it a while, then went and found our friend, Jimmy, who had a pick up truck. I was in charge of sweet-talking him into helping us….Needless to say, we went and stole the cow. We left it in our friends back yard and we all had a great time riding it and taking pictures!."

He got a little serious. "You had to have gotten caught."

"Of course we did! A neighbor ratted us out. The next day, a truck from the dairy pulled up and said if we helped load it into their truck, they'd bring it back, no questions asked."

"Jesus, Eames, that cow must have been expensive! You could have been charged with grand larceny!"

She agreed with him. "I know! That's what they told us! So, we did what they asked and that was the end of that!"

They laughed for a minute.

"Okay, Goren…you're turn! Truth, or dare!"

He stared at her for a minute. "Dare."

She wasn't surprised he chose that. He keeps his personal life so protected, she didn't think he'd choose truth.

"Let me think." She looks around. "You have to jump into the water, then come out and scream, 'I think I saw the Loch Ness Monster!'."

"Eames, seriously."

"Oh, I'm dead serious, Bobby. That's what you have to do, unless you want to choose truth."

Bobby sits up and looks around. The restaurant is still pretty full and they're in view of the deck. He knows he's going to draw a lot of attention, and it's making him feel very uncomfortable. Then he looks back at Eames and she's smiling like the Cheshire Cat. He shakes his head and removes his shirt and shoes.

Slowly he gets up, and then runs full speed into the water. He dives in quickly, then stands and yells, "I think I saw the Loch Ness Monster!!", as he runs from the water. He can see people at the restaurant point at him and laugh.

Instead of being mortified, he feels a sort of excitement that he hasn't felt since he was a very small child, before the problems began with his mom. He flops back down next to Alex with the widest smile she has ever seen. She smiles back as she feels herself melting over him. He leaves his shirt and shoes off while he dries out, but he lies back down next to her.

He gives her a flirtatious grin, "Truth…or dare?"

She sees his grin and smiles back. "Truth."

Quickly he says, "I have one."

The look in her eyes makes her panic. "Uh, oh."

He nods his head to let her know she should be scared. "Have you ever kissed another girl?"

"Geez, Goren!"

"Hey…it's all a part of the game…I played along."

She feels herself blush. "Yes."

Bobby can't help but look shocked. "You mean…for real?!"

She shakes her head. "Uh, uh…that's another question…I don't have to answer that."

She sees the look in his eyes. He's totally fascinated with what he's stumbled upon. She knows he's not going to let it go.

"My turn, Bobby…truth or dare?"

"Okay…truth this time."

She catches his eye as she contemplates her question.

"When was the last time you slept with someone?"

He studies her. He knows she's asking for a reason. He knows he has to be completely honest.

"I don't know the exact date, but I know it's been nine months."

"How do you know?"

He shakes his head, "Double question, I'm not gonna answer."

He repositions himself so he on his side and resting on his elbow. He looks up at her.

"Truth or dare, Eames."

She knows if she chooses truth he's gonna ask about her kissing another girl, and she really doesn't want to relive it. So…"Dare."

He looks down at her, then he trails his eyes up and down her body and she feels herself overheat.

He gives her a sexy look. "You have to kiss me like you kissed that girl."

"Hey! No fair! You're getting a dare and a truth all at one time!"

"Why? All I gave you was one dare…I can't help it if it also answers a truth!"

Alex looks out at the water for a few seconds contemplating what he's asking. Then she turns to look at Bobby and sees him watching her intently. He's not joking…neither is she.

"Bobby…" She pleads with just his name.

"Hey…I played by the rules…it's the least you can do." He's not letting her off the hook.

She looks at the restaurant, then back to him, then slowly lowers herself down. She leans one arm on the ground, and her other skims his bare chest until it finds his neck and face. She gives him one more look before she lowers herself and her lips lock with his. She gives him sensuous kiss, but keeps her lips closed. Before he knows it, she's pulling away.

"Really, Eames? That was it?"

Somehow he knows she's lying, she shakes her head again.

"You really want to know how I kissed her?"

He laughs out loud. "Are you serious? Of course I want to know how you kissed another girl!"

She doesn't give it another thought. She lowers herself over him again and takes his mouth. This time, with more urgency. She barely slides her tongue across his lips when he opens his mouth and meets her half way. His hands come up and run through her hair. She lowers herself fully onto him, then his hands trial down her back. It's a very sexy, passionate kiss, and neither want to pull away, but eventually they have to come up for air.

She tries to get up but he tightens his hold on her back. "That must have been some kiss."

She relaxes on him and runs her fingers gently down his cheek. "Well, it wasn't exactly like this one."

He looks at her questioningly.

"First of all, she didn't have a five o'clock shadow that tickled my face," she smiles as she rubs his cheek some more but keeps eye contact with him, "and second of all…the kiss with her wasn't nearly as…" Instead of labeling the kiss, she dips back down and kisses him again.

Even through is wet jeans, she can feel him hardening. It shocks her back to reality, so she pulls away and quickly stands up. "Look at me," she wipes her shorts a little, "your jeans got me all wet, now, too!"

Bobby looks her up and down. "Looks good on you, Eames." He slowly gets up, he's finding it hard to bend with the erection he has. Once he stands up, he tries to brush the wet sand off the back of his pants. "We don't have a towel in the car, do we? Lewis is gonna kill me when I bring his car back full of sand."

"Here." She says as she brushes sand off his back. "Am I scratching you?"

"Not at all." He has is eyes closed as he enjoys the feel of her hands.

When she's done, she thinks of giving his back a quick kiss but resists. "I'm not sure if there's a towel. But, maybe you can sit on your t-shirt… that will help a little."

He turns and looks at her. He wants to kiss her again but resists. "Good idea." He grabs his shirt and shoes and they back to the car.

--

tbc...


	7. Chapter 7

**Their thoughts are in italics.**

--

Eames is quiet on the drive back to the house.

_What the hell am I doing? How the hell did I let myself kiss him like that? What's wrong with me? I'm too old to claim that I didn't know what I was doing…or that I was just drunk.. I should have stopped it. I knew where that damn game was leading, I knew ever since he kissed me at the swimming hole. _She adjusts herself in the seat, rests her elbow on the door and rubs her forehead. _Uh, God! The feel of his lips on my shoulder was too much to take. And then just now…Damn! It felt so good to lie on top of him and feel his arms around me. And the way we just kissed each other…oh my God! Maybe he does have feelings for me…it sure felt that way. He really does seem sincere… and kind, and sweet, and I had no idea that my partner could ever be all of those things. He's been treating me like gold up here. _She thought back through the years of their partnership. _Truth is, he's always treated me like gold, I guess I just never really saw it. I was spending so much time trying to prove to everyone that even though I was a woman, I deserved to be a cop, and deserved to be in Major Case, that I never stopped to see that he has always given me respect, and admiration, and friendship. And…maybe he has had other feelings, too…feelings that he would never show, out of respect…_

--

His skin may be wet and cool from the water, but his insides are on fire. He wants her. HER. Badly. The past few days have worn down his strength. He's been fighting his feelings for her for a long time, for as long as he's been working with her. And if he's being honest, it's been even longer than that.

He remembers seeing her for the first time at a bar on St. Patrick's Day a few years before they became partners. He didn't know who she was, but something about her caught his eye. It was late in the day, and her dress uniform was pretty much in shambles. Her tie was long gone, so was her jacket and hat, but her hair was still pulled up off her shoulders in a now semi-formal bun. He remembers he couldn't stop staring at the delicate sweep of her neck, or the little "v" of exposed skin that was once hidden away under the top few buttons of her now opened shirt. He felt like that skin was teasing him. Then, to make matters worse, he had to watch as another guy came up to her and kiss that skin that he longed to run his tongue over. He was certain it must have been soft and tender and he wished that he himself had first hand knowledge of what she felt like to kiss like that...not the guy that Goren instantly took a jealous dislike to. Then he watched her as hands ran through the guys hair and he caught the glint of a ring on her left hand. Without another thought, he raised his drink and silently cursed the lucky guy out. It pained him to know that she was never going to be his.

He didn't see her again until he attended Joe's funeral. He felt like a rat bastard the whole time because he couldn't look at her without thinking of how much he wanted her at that St. Paddy's Day party. Then he felt even worse because he knew he still did want her just as much. He ended up leaving early because he was so angry with himself.

That was all he saw of her, until…

The day he walked into Major Case to meet his new partner for the first time was the day he realized that God had a pretty sick sense of humor. Or, He was hell bent on punishing Bobby for years of playing the field with reckless abandon. Up to that point, Bobby always did great with women. He knew he was good looking and that he had a special knack for sweet talking them. With the right words, or the right look, he could get any woman he wanted into his bed. He had a certain swagger about him because he knew that there wasn't any woman he wanted that didn't fall under his spell. Until her. And even though he didn't try to hit on her at that bar, he knew if he did, he would have been shot down because when she looked in Joe's eyes that night, he knew he'd never stand a chance.

And now, here he was, driving her back to a remote cabin…after holding her in his arms and kissing her with a passion he only had for her. His desire for her was fighting to take over. There was a part of him that wanted to let go, that wanted to get to that house and take her and make sure she knew exactly what she meant to him. But then there was the part of him that thought that doing that would be very wrong. They were partners after all, and being partners carried a sense of respect for each other.

He warred with himself the whole way back to the house.

--


	8. Chapter 8

**Ding, ding, ding…and the winner is…"SexyScottishDoc"!...who said "a nice round of smut, smut, smut" is what they need! So…I give you round one.**

**Oh, and for Darin's Sis…cause she loves all things smut, too!**

**This here is rated M. **

--

He's assuming his recent display's of affection toward Alex have to do with being away from everything that is normal in their lives. He knows he's always felt that affection, but to let her see it…it just wasn't like him. Normally, he would never look at her, think about her, or let himself touch her the way he's been. But as he sits on an adirondack chair, no matter how hard he tries to concentrate on other subjects, his mind can't stop drifting back to that kiss.

"Man…I don't know about you, but I'm still so full from lunch." Alex saunters out onto the deck after a nice nap on the couch. The sun is starting to set, and it's getting a little cool, so she's got an afghan pulled tight across her shoulders and bunched up in front of her. However, she's still in shorts and she's barefoot.

He smiles at her, "How was your nap?"

She leans against the railing. "Great. Did you sleep at all?"

"I took a shower, then I came out here and I closed my eyes a little bit."

Alex looks down at what he's wearing. He has on a pair of khaki shorts and a black t-shirt. She sees he's also barefoot. A wave of desire overtakes her body. She thinks of laying on the beach with him, then it's as if the floodgates are opened up.

She feels herself letting go of her questions, and her worry, and her certainty that this is just a game for him. As she liberates herself from her ambivalence, she lets feelings that's she's kept hidden away finally invade her body; longing, wanting, needing. _I want him_.

Their eyes meet, and Alex knows she's done for. She slowly moves toward him, and she sees his eyes roam over her body, then look at her questioningly.

She only nods at him as she slowly straddles him in the chair. His mouth drops open slightly and his eyes close to half-mast as she wraps her hands around his neck then pulls him into a searing kiss.

Bobby slides his hands onto her hips, then pulls her further onto his lap so he can feel her fully against his cock. They both moan into each other's mouths when he does this. Once he has her firmly in place, he glides his hand up and down her waist.

Alex breaks the kiss to get some air but Bobby continues to kiss her jaw and her neck as he's slowly pulls the blanket off of her. Once she's unwrapped, he tosses it onto the deck.

Then, as much as he really doesn't want to, he feels compelled to ask her, "Alex…are you sure about this?"

She leans back down and kisses his neck before replying. "Don't you want me, Bobby?"

His eyes roll into the back of his head as soon she asks him that. "I want you…" he breathlessly tries to answer her in between assaults on her neck, "you have no idea… how long… I've wanted…you." Then, he straightens his head, and slowly kisses the hollow of her neck, and trails small kisses around her upper chest and shoulders. "In fact…I've wanted to kiss you…right here…since the first time I saw you."

"Tell me about it…the first time you saw me."

Her question snaps him back to the present and out of the spell he was under. She immediately feels his body tense.

"What is it, Bobby?"

He shakes his head. He looks at her with heavy lidded eyes, "Not right now." He brings his hands up to her neck, then he slowly trails them down to her breasts. He kneads both at the same time, and Alex's back arches into his touch as her head falls backward. She lets out a big sigh and it makes him even harder than he already was.

"I need this…off." He tugs at the bottom of her shirt, then she raises her arms to allow him to remove it. As soon as it's gone, his hand moves around her back and unsnaps her bra. Her shirt and bra join the blanket on the deck, and he very reverently covers her breasts with his hands. He's resting his head against the chair as he messages her breasts and nipples, then traces their outline with his long, beautiful fingers. She's watching him as he stares at her chest, admiring her. Then he lifts his eyes to hers and their gazes lock.

He clears his throat. "I think we need to go inside."

"Why?" She gives him a sexy look, "I'm comfy right here, aren't you?"

He smiles at her. "Very…but…I have to get a condom."

"Do you always use one, Bobby?"

"Yeah…always. Do you?"

A small laugh escapes her. "Well, that questions assumes that I'm out having sex all the time."

He begins to stammer. "You-you're…I mean…"

She leans in and kisses his neck. "Relax, big guy, no offense taken." She straightens back up and looks at him. "Truth is, I haven't…you know…in a very long time."

"Oh, uh, well…"

She laughs again, "It's okay…I get it…you weren't telling the truth during out little game before."

He closes his eyes as he tries to think of the best way to answer her. "I-I was…Alex. I was being truthful, it's been quite a while for me." He opens his eyes after speaking.

She can't help but snark at him. "Yeah…it must be some kind of record for you."

He didn't want to say anything just then, but he couldn't let her comment go. "No, you don't get it…" He sighs, "Alex…it's been that long be-because of…well because of you."

Now she looks shocked. "Me? What the hell did I have to do with that?!"

He purses his lips and looks down before answering her. "We were at that picnic last Labor Day…and you were there…and you looked so…damn hot." He pauses to take her hand in his and kiss it. "And Daniels was there, flirting his ass off with you…and I watched him and you…and I was so pissed! I mean…I wanted to be able to flirt with you like that…and to have a chance to…kiss you, and take you home with me…And that's when I knew…I knew you had me…for real…And, well, I haven't had any desire to date anyone else since then."

"Oh, Bobby…" She leans back down and kisses him. She hopes she can convey to him what she's feeling for him right now. When she breaks the kiss, she says, "You do know I didn't go home with him…"

He brings his hands up and holds her head in place. "Good." He kisses her nose.

"But, the whole reason this got brought up was to tell you I'm on the pill…and I trust you…" She lets the subject drop then kisses him again. As she does, she snakes her hands down and he feels his pants get unsnapped and unzipped.

Then she lifts herself off of him a little so she can slide her hand into his pants, and when she finds him, she wraps her hand around him.

"Oh God, Alex…" He sucks in air through now clenched teeth.

She leans right into his ear, "I want you… inside me." She feels him throb at her words and she licks his earlobe. "Now."

He doesn't answer her, he's too breathless at this point. Instead, he watches her climb off of him and remove her pants and undies. He removes his shirt, and she helps him get out of his pants and boxers.

They simultaneously check each other out, then smile at each other. "Come back over here, Alex." He begs her.

She hears him plead and she feels overwhelmed with desire for him. Between his earlier confession, and the sound of desperation in voice now, she's finally understanding the extent of his feelings for her.

Without hesitation, she climbs back onto her partners lap and kisses him again. His hands now roam from her arms, to her back, and then to the now bare skin of her hips and butt. "You're so soft, and so beautiful." He whispers in between kisses.

"Bobby…" She sounds completely different to him, so he looks at her. When he does, she lifts her hips up. He knows what she wants. She wants him. He keeps eye contact with her, as he brings his hand down, then guides himself inside of her.

She feels him enter her and she can't help it when she yells out his name.

"Are you alright, Eames?" He hears what he called her and immediately apologizes, "I'm so sorry… Alex…Are you alright, Alex?"

She laughs in his neck and she's breathless again, "I'm fine…it's okay…it's what you're used to calling me."

They both laugh. He remains buried inside of her, not moving.

Her voice somehow gets deeper and sexier, "You ready for this?"

He gives her a questioning look, then she begins to ride him and he thinks his mind is going to explode. He groans loudly, then throws his head back against the chair. "Oh, fuck! Alex…Eames…oh my God, Alex…" She's slowly rises off of him, then slams back down onto his lap, and it's sending him off the deep end. After several times of doing this, he clasps her hips and holds her steady. "You're gonna make me come so fast doing that… I want to savor every second with you…"

"Don't worry…there will be more times." She kisses his shoulder and runs her hands over his chest.

"You better believe it." He sits and lets himself enjoy her hands on his chest and his cock buried deep within her before he lets them continue. Then, he moves his hands to her hips and carefully guides her to slowly ride him. They find a slow, steady rhythm to their lovemaking, and when they kiss, their tongues find the same. As they kiss each other, Alex's hands are all over the place. Sometimes she trails them over his shoulders and down his arms, other times, she's running through his hair, or she plays with his ears. But he feels all of her caresses, and her kisses, and he thinks of how damn good it feels to be in her and before he knows it he can't hold back any longer.

"Oh God, Alex…here I…" He spills into her and his body stiffens then relaxes. She stays above him, letting him guide her a little more, until his orgasm is finished.

"I hope you're not tired already," He says as he tries not to pant, "'cause I've got plans for you."

"Is that a promise?" She purrs.

He feels incredible, especially with her still perched on top of him, still leaving small kisses all around his face and neck. "You feel wonderful, Alex…just how I always knew you would."

She giggles a little into his neck and the sensation makes his hair stand on end. "And you, too…better than I could have imagined."

He takes a small bite of her shoulder, "And I'm no where near done with you." He looks up at her and gives her a playful smile.

--

tbc...


	9. Chapter 9

**Round two…More M stuff happens here…**

--

They remain tangled in the chair for as long as they can, but the setting sun has brought out some mosquito's and the air is getting cooler. Alex rests her hands on the arms of the chair and gradually lifts herself off her partner. After stretching his legs and arms, he gets up as well, then he picks up all of their clothes and the afghan she had been wearing, and follows her into the house.

She turns on a lamp in the living room, and the small light in the kitchen. As she stands in the kitchen, she feels Bobby come up behind her. His chest feels warm against her back, and his hands feel even warmer as they roam over her breasts and tummy. She winds her hands around the back of his neck and locks them in place.

"Alex…I love touching you." He kisses the back of her head, then the side of it. He breathes her in then moves his mouth to her ear and exhales slowly. He feels her squirm and he smiles. "You smell nice…" He kisses her ear, then the soft spot directly underneath it and he lets his tongue linger there. "You taste good, too." He continues moving down her neck, kissing his way lower. "Mmmm," is all she can manage.

She still doesn't say a word, but a moan escapes her as his left hand ventures lower and lower. When he finds the spot he was searching for she moans again, "Uuuhhh God, Bobby…you feel…ahhhhhhh…" she stops speaking as he his fingers slowly rub over her folds. His right hand is gently squeezing and massaging her breasts while his left explores her heat. He brings his mouth back up against her ear, "Hmmm? You were saying?"

She finds it hard to speak. "I don't know…"

He laughs softly and gives her earlobe a gentle bite.

When he feels how wet she is he groans and whispers "Oh, Baby… you are so ready for this," he slips his finger inside of her. "Oh, God," is all that she can say. She leans back into him so he moves his finger in and out a few times but then pulls in out and focuses on her clit. She tilts her head back, lifting her chin into the air, so he takes the opportunity to kiss her. He starts at her shoulder, then slowly makes his way up the side of her neck and along her jaw line. All of his attention, his kisses, how he's playing with her breasts, and his how he's working her clit are making her crazy so she's squirming her hips and it's making him desperate to spin her around, prop her up on the counter and just dive into her again. But before he does, he wants to give her an orgasm. So another finger joins the first and he slides them back into her while his thumb finds her clit. "Shit, Bobby…."

She brings her hands down from his neck. She her left hand rests on his hip, and she snakes the other between them and grabs his cock. The minute she does, he presses into her hand and against her back. But then he backs off, and uses his right hand to pull her hand off of him. "Alex, that feels great, but we'll have time for that later…right now… will you put your hands back where they were… for me?"

She thinks he sounds like he's trying his best to keep his control. Instead of testing him, she listens to him and wraps her hands around his neck again. Then he lowers his head again and licks and kisses her neck some more. While he's kissing her, he's still thrusting his fingers in and out and he's gently working her clit at the same time.

"Bobby…you feel…so…so…damn good." Her words come out in between pants.

"Good…that's what I wanna hear from that sexy mouth of yours."

He finds himself memorizing every breath, every moan, every reaction she has to his ministrations. He plans on using his new found knowledge over and over. "I think you're getting close, Alex…aren't you…" She only moans in response so he runs his thumb over a nipple as he works her into her orgasm. Then he feels her jerk and at first she straightens her back, but then she slumps forward a little as her whole body shivers. Her hands drop down and she uses them to brace herself on the counter. Bobby still has his fingers inside of her, and his right hand is now holding tightly onto her belly. "I've got you, Baby. I've got you."

Once she feels her release subside, she tries to gain some strength. She feels like she just ran a marathon, but she manages a deep breath every so often. When she feels some strength has returned, she straightens back up and turns around.

She kisses him. The kiss is both demanding and sensual. Her tongue is gently playing with his and she feels like she could kiss him for the rest of her life. She hopes he understands what this night means to her.

He surprises her a little when he lifts her up by her ass and quickly rests her on the counter. He wraps his arms around her and gives her a passionate kiss. She's got her hands on his waist, and when their kissing, he pulls her closer to the edge of the counter. She knows what he's planning, so wraps her legs around him and she presses her center against his cock. He can't help but groan loudly.

He guides himself into her and fills her completely. "Oohhh, Alex," he says with their lips still touching. She can't help but smile, but then plunges her tongue back in to his mouth.

He starts moving in and out of her and he can feel her rocking into him with each of his thrusts and it's driving him crazy for her. He really wants to go slowly, to stretch out the moment, but he's having a difficult time doing so because he wants her so badly.

"Hold still for me, Alex." He has his hands on her hips and he's attempting to keep her from moving but she's resisting him.

"Why?" She asks seductively, "is it bothering you?" She kisses him just below his chin.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

She gives him an innocent look. "Enjoying what?"

"You know you're driving me crazy… and that's not very nice of you." He tries to kiss her but she pulls her face away from him, then gives him another innocent look, "Who said anything about me being nice?"

He raises his eyes, surprised at her response, and laughs softly, "Oh…so you want to be naughty, detective Eames?"

She takes his face in both of her hands, then runs her tongue around his lips before giving him a kiss that lets him know she was anything but nice or innocent.

When she breaks the kiss, she shakes her head a little and runs her hands through his hair, "Detective Goren… you have no idea just how naughty I can be."

"Well…I'm hoping I'm gonna find out." Very quickly he thrusts into her, and she counters his move by locking her legs tightly around him just as he thrusts into her again. He's filled her completely and he's virtually trapped.

She makes sure she has his full attention before speaking. "And I'm hoping I'll have plenty of opportunities to show you."

He looks down at her breasts that are pressing against his chest, then he runs his hands up her back and into her hair and looks into her eyes. "You can have as many opportunities as you want… you can have anything you want from me for that matter."

"Right now… I just want this." She relaxes her legs and sits as still as she can, letting him set whatever pace he wants.

He kisses her softly, tangling his tongue with hers, as he eases in and out of her. Then, when he picks up his pace, his kiss becomes a little more demanding as well and she responds by moaning into his mouth.

"Alex." He breaks their kiss and rests his head on her shoulder. He's breathing heavily and she can feel a cool line of sweat on his back.

"Bobby, this feels so good...you feel so good." She kisses his ear and then his neck.

"Wanna feel even better?"

"Mmmmmm."

He brings his left hand down between them and finds her clit again. The minute he does her head starts to spin. "Oh God, Bobby…" She straightens her back and leans her head down.

"Come for me, Eames." His voice is raspy and filled with desire.

"You're unbelievable." She sounds muffled because she's talking into his neck.

"Look at me, Eames…please."

She slowly lifts her head. He sees the hair around her face has become damp with sweat, and that her mouth is hung open and she's breathing hard. She looks right into his eyes but doesn't say a word.

"You're unbelievable, too." He watches her close her eyes when he says that and he feels her tighten around him. He applies a little more pressure around her clit and feels her orgasm begin. He thrusts harder into her as he continues to rub her, then his own orgasm takes over and he collapses against her while they both ride out their release.

They hold onto each other while they catch their breath. "Jesus, Bobby…no one has ever made me feel this good."

He's glad they're still in an embrace because his smile would be a dead give away of just how proud her words made him feel. It means everything to him to know she feels that way about him.

He stands up a little straighter, then takes her face in his hands. "Thank you for saying that…it means a lot to me." He kisses her and she wraps her arms around his neck as she deepens the kiss.

As their lips separate, she smiles at him. "Well, I'm sure you hear that all the time."

Reassurance. He knows that's what she's looking for; she still doesn't understand what making love to her means to him.

He shakes his head at her. "No, I don't, Alex."

She lets out a short laugh, "You should!"

He laughs back, "Well then there's only one thing I can do to make you repeat that, then, huh?!"

"In fact," With that, he lifts her up and she wraps her legs around him. "You're coming with me." He carries her into the bedroom.

--


	10. Chapter 10

**Little more M here...**

--

He stands her up so he can pull the covers back, then picks her back up and lays her down.

"I think you're really enjoying manhandling me…aren't you, Goren."

He laughs softly as he slides under the covers next to her, "I'll be honest… I'm doing something I've always wanted to do." He kisses her forehead.

"What…carry me around like you're King Kong?" She runs a hand down his arm and across his chest.

He shrugs his shoulders a little, "Uh, yeah…I guess you could say that."

She smiles at him and lifts her head up to kiss him. He guides her head back onto the pillow, then slowly moves on top of her. His kisses are gentle, and he's leaving them around her face, on her forehead and down her neck. He pays attention to one particular spot on her neck for a long time and she lays there enjoying the feeling of his tongue and lips on her skin while the weight of him is covering her. But after a while she pushes his on shoulders.

"As good as that feels, Bobby, I don't think it's wise to go back to Major Case with a hickey."

"Hmmmm." Apparently, he's ignoring her and she can't help but let him continue because it feels so damn good. Finally, he switches position and starts roaming around her chest and breasts with his mouth.

Alex feels herself getting aroused by him again. She can't believe it's even possible given the night they've already had.

"Geez, Bobby...don't you ever quit?" She snarks at him, her hands are exploring the muscles on his back. He feels her hands on him, and the heat her touch generates inside of him continues to grow rapidly.

He takes a small break from kissing her, "You see, Eames…I'm still kind of afraid that one of two things are going to happen," he dips back down to briefly take her breast in his mouth and Alex can't help but wiggle underneath him. Bobby feels her moving around and his erection grows so hard that it hurts him. "I'm afraid that I'm either gonna wake up any second, or, you're gonna realize it's me you're here with and then smack the crap out of me...so I figure I better not let you rest as long as I've got you here."

She giggles a little, "You mean to tell me you're actually ready to go again?"

He smiles at her and adjusts his hips so she can feel how hard he is for her.

Her eyes grow wide. "Bobby Goren!" She says with mock-admonishment.

"What can I tell you, Eames? You bring out the best in me."

She closes her eyes and opens them slowly. As seductively as she can, she says, "Well then, you might as well enjoy me while you can."

He's suddenly not in the mood for foreplay anymore. Instead, he reaches between them and then slides into her. It's still all so new for him that he just lays there for a moment while he takes in the fact that he has her under him, and he's making love to her. He turns his face towards hers and whispers into her ear, "You feel like heaven."

Alex hears his words and a warmth overtakes her whole body. "Oh…Bobby." She kisses his shoulder then wraps her arms and legs around him. They stay that way until Bobby finally starts to move.

He keeps his pace very slow. He's determined to feel every part of being inside of her. As he moves in and out, he can feel her tighten and relax and it's torturous for him, especially as he's about to climax. But he holds steady up until the very end. If they weren't kissing, they kept eye contact with each other the whole time.

Once he comes, he's rewarded with an orgasm that is long lasting and powerful. He rests on his elbows during the whole thing as his body shivers and shakes. When it's over, he's so exhausted that he collapses on top of her, sweating and trying to catch his breath.

--

Once his breathing is back to normal, Bobby brings up the subject of eating.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

"I'd imagine would be…you've must have worked up quite an appetite."

He laughs. "Wait right here." He gets up, then comes back with the clothes they had on before and tosses them on the bed. As he's pulling his shorts back on, Alex stands up and puts on his t-shirt then heads out to the kitchen. He smiles to himself as he watches her walk out the door. He follows right behind her.

--

They make grilled cheese sandwiches, and they eat them while Alex sits on Bobby's lap on the couch. When they're finished, Alex puts their plates on the coffee table, then turns and straddles him. Bobby runs his hands under her shirt and begins massaging her breasts as she nuzzles his neck.

"You know...if anyone told me at the beginning of this case, that we would end up here...like this...I would have told them they were insane." He says as he moves his hands to her back and then down to her ass.

She had been focusing on the hollow of his neck, and now she's moved over to the area just below his ear. "Mhmm, I know...but… I can't say that I've never thought about it."

He finds himself intrigued by her response and decides to push subject a little, "Have you ever dreamed about it...us?"

"Of course." She says nonchalantly as she continues kissing him.

Her response surprises him, and he puts his hands on her shoulders so she'll stop and pay attention to what he's saying.

"Of course?"

She blushes now, being face to face with him. "Ah, yeah."

He gives her a sexy grin, "Tell me about it."

"Well, it's happened more than once, but it's usually not anything specific...The dreams are usually like... we're in bed together, or... something like the way we are now."

He raises his eyebrows quickly, "And we're naked?"

She smiles at him and blushes again, "I can't believe I'm actually telling you this!" She puts her head down.

He dips his head to catch her eyes and it makes her laugh.

"C'mon, Alex...you tell me your dreams and I'll tell you mine."

Now it's her turn to grin at him, "Oh!...So you've had dreams, too?"

"Uh, uh! No changing the subject! You tell...then I'll tell."

"Okay, well, like I said, it's nothing really specific. But we are naked, and we're making love...and it's always passionate and so peaceful...But when I wake up, I always have a little ache in my belly because I realize that it was all just a dream."

He gets very serious. "But you know this isn't a dream, right? This is real."

"Hm. But, how real is it? I mean…we're not in our real lives here, Bobby."

His hands are still on her waist. "But this…isn't this real to you, Alex?"

She knows they've reached a serious moment of truth, and she doesn't know what to do with it. She's afraid to open up her heart to him…to anyone for that matter…but him especially because doing so could cause such a disruption to her everyday life. A life that's helped her through some very dark times. A life she's not ready to let go of if being intimate with Bobby proves to be a major mistake. However, if it's a mistake, it's been made. So, how does she handle this?

He sees her struggle for the right words, and believes that that struggle is reply in and of itself. "I guess I have my answer." He lifts her off of him and deposits her on the couch.

His quick dismissal of her snaps her back to reality as she feels what it would be like to be shunned by him. She doesn't like it one bit. She quickly climbs back on top of him and holds his face in her hands. "No, Bobby."

He tries to lift her again but she shakes him off. "Um Mm. Let me talk."

He can tell she's honestly upset by him pushing her away, so he stops and waits for her to continue.

Once she knows he's really listening, she begins to slowly open her heart up to him.

"You see, I'm just afraid."

"Of me?"

"Well…yes…but my fear isn't about what you've ever done to me, it's more about how I'm afraid that once we get back to New York, you're gonna realize what a big mistake this was…that I'm not really the kind of woman you're looking for…then what the hell do we do with our careers?"

He sits and thinks about what she just said. He knows he has to be gentle because her honesty was a struggle for her. But at the same time, he finds himself angry to think that she could still think he's just using her. He takes a few moments to compose himself before giving her a response.

"Alex…let me get this straight. We've just shared the last few days enjoying each other's company in complete seclusion, and the last few hours together making love, and you're still unsure of my feelings for you?"

She can feel a tightness in her throat, and her words come out strained, "Bobby, it's nothing you've done, it's a lack of confidence in myself."

He shakes his head, "But, Eames…the things you and I did, how we made each other feel…how can you take that and allow either one of us to chalk it up to curiosity, or a lack of judgment?"

She feels the tears start and can't help but let them fall. "This is really hard for me, Bobby."

"Please, Eames…I need to know." When she doesn't answer right away, he rests his forehead against hers and whispers, "Alex."

She hears the desperation in his voice. She sniffles. "I think I'm just trying to give you an out…to make it easy for you to tell me this was a mistake. That way, I can agree and we can go back to work with some sort of dignity."

"Because that's what you think I'm feeling." He poses this is a sentence rather than a question.

She nods her head.

He takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out. "Well, I'm not. So I don't need your out." Then he pauses before continuing. "Do you need it?"

Part of her wants to say yes, because she does believe that failure for them is imminent. But she doesn't. Instead, she shakes her head no, taking the biggest chance of her life.

He smiles softly at her and wipes away her tears.

She slowly extricates herself off of him and he lets her. She stands before him.

"Let's go to bed."

They finally go to sleep in each other's arms.

--


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry for the delay...RL tied me down.**

--

The next morning, Alex is the first to wake up. She smiles to herself as she thinks of the day and night before. She watches Bobby sleep and feels overwhelming happiness. She never thought she'd wake up next to him, she had dreamed about it, but never thought it would be a reality.

She turns onto her side to watch him sleep some more. He's sleeping on his back, his head it turned toward her and he's snoring lightly. His hands are resting on his stomach.

She wants to touch him, but she's doesn't want to wake him up. She figures the couch could not have been very comfortable to sleep on the previous few nights, so he might really need this rest.

After a while, he finally stirs, and when he opens his eyes and sees her watching him, he smiles. He takes a couple of minutes to stretch and fully wake up, then he speaks softly, "Whatcha doin', Eames?"

"You know what I can't figure out?" She asks as she climbs on top of him. The feel of her skin against his sends his mind reeling. He wants her again.

"What's that?" He runs his hands through her hair.

She lays her fists on his chest, then rests her jaw on top of them.

"I can't figure out how it's possible that you're still single."

He thinks of his past, and then of woman who is draped over him, and tries his best to figure out how to explain to her that his heart has been hers for over eight years. However, even before then, no one was ever able to get really close to him. Some had tried and he'd run, others left on their own, never giving him a good reason why.

He looks back down at her after his daydreaming to see her smiling.

"Is it that hard to answer, Bobby?"

"Eames," he shifts his head to the side a little and grins at her as he says softly, "Alex." Then he runs his hands down her arms and they both laugh when she shudders from his touch, "I haven't wanted to be serious with anyone since I first saw you."

"But that's only been four years…what about before then? How could all those women you dated not see what I see?"

He's relieved when she doesn't question him further on his statement about first 'seeing' her. "For some reason, you seem to think that I'm something special, Alex, but really…not too many people share that same sentiment."

She lifts her head and gives him a gentle punch. "You're just fishing for a compliment."

He shakes his head at her. "No, really, Eames. As you know, I had a tough upbringing, and it becomes apparent to most people after a while."

"And why's that?"

He's thoughtful for a moment. "I guess I tend to revert to what I know…when things get tough, I retreat. Or, if someone pushes too hard to get close to me, I go the other direction. It's my defense mechanism. My whole life…it's scared people…women…off."

"Why didn't it scare me off?"

He laughs softly, "I ask myself that all the time…why have you remained my partner all these years and after everything I've pulled."

She thinks back to early on in their partnership, about the transfer request she had submitted, then rescinded. She wars with herself about telling him. She decides not to. Since it was rescinded it's not in her file anymore, so she decides thinks of it as 'bygones'.

She refocuses on the man lying beneath her. She slinks forward, braces her hands on the mattress, and before she kisses him, she says, "I guess I'm stubborn like that…I could tell you didn't think I'd last as your partner very long so I wanted to prove you wrong." She kisses him softly on the lips as he winds his fingers through her hair to pull it away from her face.

When she breaks the kiss, he says, "You mean to tell me you've stayed with me for four years just to prove me wrong?"

She laughs at his playful tone. "No, see…that was only in the beginning. But now I'm staying with you just for the sex." She laughs as she kisses him again. Then he rolls her over onto her back and he lies along side of her.

His smile fades away and concern takes over. She gives him a questioning look, then nods. She knows he's thinking about Wilkes and how they need to check in with Deakins.

He rolls on to his back and she sits up. "You're right, Bobby. We need to go into town and call in."

He lets out a deep sigh as he looks at his naked partner. He really doesn't want to make that call, but he knows they must. "You stay here, I'll go."

She lies back down. "You sure?" She asks as she's already pulling the covers over her shoulders.

Smiling, he leans over the bed and kisses the top of her head. "Yes, I'm sure. I'll be back in about forty-five minutes."

"K." She closes her eyes and listens to leave the cabin then him drive off.

--

"Eames, we've gotta go."

Alex slowly comes to, then she hears the urgency in her partner's voice and quickly sits up. "Wilkes?"

"Yes…we've gotta go. NYPD is meeting us at Bradley airport. We have to be there in two hours."

Alex gets up and Bobby is thrown off for a moment when he sees that she's still naked. He takes a deep breath, then watches her as she fumbles around for something to wear. When she's finished getting dressed, she begins to stuff her things into her bag.

"Don't worry too much about getting everything. We just have to move…we can ask Lewis to get our stuff later."

She turns quickly, "But what if we need our things?" She's a little pissed by his tone.

He shakes his head, "We can get it later, we need to just…leave."

--

They're silent during the trip, lost in their own thoughts. First and foremost on their minds is Wilkes, and what they're about to walk into. They both need time to get their minds' back into gear. Even though it's only been four days, it seems weeks.

After a while, Bobby's thoughts turn to Alex. He's wondering what she's thinking about. More specifically, he's wishes he knew how she really felt about them…him. He's afraid to bring up the subject but he feels like something should be said before they reach the airport.

He knows what he wants to say. If he thought he wouldn't get rejected, he'd tell her that she's the most important person in the world to him, and that she has been for years. He'd also wants tell her that he loves her, but he knows he won't. He really doesn't know what her reaction would be to any of that. He knows she cares for him, but would she honestly want him in her life like that? He decides to keep quiet for now. He doesn't have enough confidence that he is what would make her happy.

He glances over and his body aches for her. He forces his eyes back on the road and tightens his grip on the steering wheel.

--

She feels his eyes on her but she doesn't look in his direction. She's afraid to; afraid of what she'll see, and afraid of what might be said. Worst yet, what won't be said.

She knows they've taken a huge chance by becoming intimate. They've allowed themselves to be exposed not only to sanctioned at work, but even worse, they've put their friendship, and their hearts, on the line.

She knows something should be said…must be said…but she's too afraid to be the one to start.

Her whole body is wrought with desire for him. And even though it's killing her, she doesn't say a word. She wants to reach out to him, but she resists.

--

They make their way to the airport that's just outside of Hartford, Connecticut. They find the terminal they were given, and they're met by two teams. One took Goren, the other took Eames.

Without any warning, they're whisked away from each other. Before they knew it, they were on different planes, set out for God knows where.

--

"This can't be right." Alex shakes her head as she listens to the plan to flush out Wilkes.

--

"You've got to be **fucking** kidding me." Bobby says as he heard the same plan.

--

The plan is to send both of them out into the open, to try and flush Wilkes out. The thought is that Wilkes is watching one of their houses. So, at the same time, both Bobby and Alex would pull up in front of their homes and then quickly go inside. Then, they would sit in a chair by their windows, with curtains drawn, to attract Wilkes. But, the figure in their windows would actually be mannequins.

Both Bobby and Alex were assured that at the time that they left their vehicles, their neighbors would be off the street and the only people nearby would be undercover officers.

Neither Bobby and Alex like the plan. They're both afraid that there are too many ways for it to go wrong.

Deakins talks to Bobby, while, Special Agent Thomas tries to assure Alex that this is the best plan they could come up with. Alex carries on a long and loud conversation with Thomas. It becomes apparent to both of them that they're not going to agree on how to proceed. Eventually, Thomas puts and to the debate, trying to assert that he is in fact, running the operation. "Detective Eames, the bottom line is, we can't have you two hiding away **forever**. We have to do something to draw him out." Alex is pensive for a long time, then finally nods her head, understanding that logic, but still concerned for the safety of her partner and her neighbors.

--

"Bobby, we can't find this hump, and we can't just leave you in hiding. It's the only thing that makes sense."

Bobby put up just a big of a struggle as Alex, and Deakins met his every objection and concern with a reason why this plan is the only plan that they have left. Bobby ends up not at all happy with the reasoning, but understanding something like this has to be done. "But why both of us? Just leave Eames out of it, just put me out there as bait."

Deakins shook his head, "But what if Wilkes watching out for her and not you?"

Anger and frustration roils through Bobby's veins.

--

**Later that evening:**

Bobby gets out of his car, wearing his body vest under his sweat suit. He moves quickly, to appear that he's still hiding out. He goes into his apartment, pulls his blinds closed, then lies on the ground as someone from the swat team switches on a light and then the TV, lighting the room and the mannequin sitting in the chair. From the street, the barely visible shadows that are cast would lead anyone to believe that Bobby is watching the evening news.

--

Over in Queens, the exact scene begins to unfold. Although there, as Alex steps from her car, a single shot rings out.

--

After about a half hour of lying on the floor, Deakins rushes in the back door. The look on his face makes Bobby stand up at attention.

Deakins pauses, not sure of what exactly to say, "Bobby…he was waiting at Alex's."

--


	12. Chapter 12

--

"**What**?! How is she?! Where is she?!" His shouts his questions in rapid fire.

"She's okay, Bobby." Deakins tries his best to calm Bobby down.

"**Where** is she?" He isn't trying to hide his anger.

"Kings County…I can bring -" Deakins stops. Bobby was already out the door.

--

His mind is still racing as he carefully slides the privacy curtain to the side. She's lying on her back with her eyes closed. The only sound he hears is the muted beeping from the automatic blood pressure cuff that's attached to her arm. Other than the fact that she's lying in a hospital ER, you'd never guess she'd been shot less than an hour earlier.

_Thank God for Kevlar_, Bobby thinks as he shudders at the thought of her being Wilkes' target.

She hears the rustle of the curtain and quickly opens her eyes.

He's not expecting the look in her eyes. He was assuming he was going to be greeted by the same, relaxed Eames that he had lying naked next to him in the bed just twelve hours earlier. Instead, her eyes sends a jolt of reality through him. The reality that she could have been taken from him in a mere instant. Judging by how she's looking at him, he knows that she's already come to that same realization.

"Hey." She says as he approaches her. She's trying to appear calm.

He looks behind him to make sure they're still alone. He wants to take her in his arms but he knows he can't risk that. "Hey," he says back to her as he leans down and gives her a quick but tender kiss on her cheek. He breathes in deeply then slowly lets it out.

He hears footsteps approaching so he straightens back up and then he stuffs his hands into his pockets. He does that to keep himself from reaching out to her in front of who ever it is that's about to walk in.

"I thought I'd find you here." Deakins was trying to make light of the situation, but both Bobby and Alex could see the stress in his eyes, too.

Bobby's first instinct is to be angry at Deakins. He turns to his captain to confront him, or to at least give him a big 'I told you so', but then he stops. He decides it's not right to talk about it in front of Eames. Deakins is confused by his detective, he's certain that Bobby was about to blow his top, and now he doesn't know what happened to change his mind.

Instead, Bobby asks, "So… I'm assuming the son of a bitch is dead?" He realized on the way over that he never asked about what had happened.

Deakins nods, "An NYPD sniper took him out…he only got one round off." He watches Bobby shudder and decided to change the subject. In his opinion, there's no reason to keep talking about Wilkes.

Deakins then turns his attention Alex. "How are you feeling, Alex."

"Sore…but ready to get out of here." They both notice that despite the stubborn tone, her voice sounds weak.

"They're not admitting you?" Bobby asks.

"Hell no."

Deakins steps toward the foot of her bed. "But your head…"

Bobby shoots a look at Alex, "What's wrong with your head?"

Alex shrugs off his question, so Deakins answers him. "When she was hit, she went down hard. Her head hit the car bumper…knocked her out pretty good."

She lets out a loud huff as she shakes her head, "It's just a concussion. I'll be fine!"

With this, the nurse slides open the curtain and stands in front of all of them. "So, how are you feeling, Detective?"

Exasperation mixes with snark. "I feel the exact same way as I did the last ten times I've been asked that question…**fine**!"

The nurse raises her eyebrows at Eames as she picks of the clipboard that's hanging from the wall. "So," she looks down the page and pulls out her pen, "this…behavior of yours," she looks at the two men standing there, "is this attitude normal for her? Or would you consider is a change in personality?"

"**What**?!" Alex tries to sit up but she feels a wave of dizziness so she lies back down.

Bobby runs his hand down her hair then rests it on her shoulder. Deakins gives him a quizzical look but Bobby doesn't see him. "Nurse, ahhh…" He waits for the nurse to give her name.

"Alexander." She says firmly.

Bobby smiles his smile that he knows can charm a snake out of it's basket. "Nurse Alexander…as you can imagine…it's been a very, very long day for my partner. We're all on edge after what happened." He does his best to not apologize for Alex, he knows she wouldn't appreciate it. But at the same time, he feels he has to do something…say something to this poor nurse who just got chewed out by his partner.

The nurse softens. She can't help it after the look Bobby just gave her. "I understand." Then she turns to Alex, "My concern is that the concussion may cause a change in personality. That's the only reason I need to know if the aggression you displayed is normal or something new."

Deakins quickly speaks up, "She's a first grade detective for the NYPD Major Case squad. You don't become that by being passive." He laughs a little to lighten the mood.

Nurse Alexander looks at Deakins, then to Bobby, and then finally to Alex. "Alright then." She scribbles something on the chart then looks up, "As long as you have someone with you for the next day or so, I can ask the doctor to come and sign the discharge papers. You do have someone to stay with you?"

"I, uh, I can stay over." He does his best to sound innocent.

"Actually…my sister already offered." She feels badly. She would really rather Bobby be the one to be with her, she wants nothing more than be with him after all of this.

When Alex says her sister will be staying over, Bobby can't help the surprised look on his face. Then when he looks up he sees Deakins looking directly at him. His captain looks befuddled and amused. Then Bobby realizes he still has his hand on Alex's shoulder and without thinking, he pulls it away quickly. Deakins sees him do it and his jaw drops a little. The two men's eyes meet but Bobby quickly looks away so Deakins can't see the guilty look that Bobby's sure he's wearing.

"And here I am." Now all four of them turn to see Alex's sister Beth standing there. "Captain Deakins, it's nice to see you again." She shakes his hand. "Hi Beth, it's nice to see you, too. It's been a long time." She smiles at him then turns to Bobby. "Bobby…" She gives Bobby a big hug, "I haven't seen you in a while, we miss you." He hugs her back.

Deakins can't help but ask, "I didn't realize you knew each other so well." His antenna is up after the little exchange that occurred just before Beth arrived.

Beth laughs a little, "Oh sure, Bobby's been around for a long time…especially after Nate was born." She looks at Alex, "Little Nate seems to have a special place in his heart for our Bobby, here." The two sisters nod and exchange small smiles.

"So where's your dad, Alex? I figured I would see him here."

"Oh, he wanted to be here, alright…but I was able to talk him out of it. It's too late for mom to come out and there's no way she'd stay home if he came out…Besides, I'm fine. There's no need for them to come when I'm not even staying here." Then Alex's eyes meet Bobby's, and she wishes to God that they were alone. Silently she apologizes for her sister being the one to take her home.

Their eyes linger, and Beth picks up on the simmering tension in the room, so she speaks up. "So Al, I have your clothes here. Why don't we get you changed so you can leave as soon as the doctor comes in."

Deakins takes her cue and says, "Alright then, it's been a long day so I'm gonna get out of your hair." He leans over and surprises Alex with a quick kiss on her cheek, "Glad to have you back and in one piece, Detective."

"Thanks, Captain…it's good to be back." She gives him a small smile.

"Bobby? I'll walk out with you?" He looks at Bobby, who's still looking at Alex, and he can tell his detective doesn't want to leave. "She needs to get home."

Bobby closes his eyes for a few seconds before opening them and looking at Deakins. "Uh, yeah…okay." Then he focuses on Alex again, "Call me if you need anything."

Alex looks deep into his eyes, but Beth speaks up, "She'll be just fine. I'm going to take great care of her."

They both nod at each other, then Bobby follows Deakins and pulls the curtain behind him.

--

Bobby gets in his car but sits there for a long time thinking about their endless day. It seems almost surreal to him, he woke up in Vermont, with Alex in his arms. And now he's sitting in a hospital parking lot, after visiting her inside. He covers his face with his hands then rubs his eyes. He's exhausted, but he knows he will never get to sleep tonight without seeing Alex again.

He knows he has to wait for them to leave, so waits it out by calling Lewis.

"Bobby, is everything alright, man?" Lewis was so happy to finally hear from his friend.

"Well, it is now." Bobby's voice is much deeper than usual due to how tired he is.

"What the hell happened?"

Bobby fills Lewis in on Wilkes and everything that transpired after his escape. Lewis can't believe what he hears. "I'm just happy I was able to help you out."

"You did more than help us out, you saved our lives."

"Oh, c'mon now."

"No, I'm serious, man…you gave us the car and the house…without those two things, I have to believe that Wilkes would have found us if we stayed around here."

"Yeah, I guess you're right…I'm mean, look at how fast he found Alex."

"I know. That's what I mean, Lewis, you saved us."

Lewis tries to lighten the mood a little, he can tell Bobby needs that. "So…how did detective Alex like the cabin?"

"Oh, she loved it, Lewis, we both did. But actually, I have to go back up there… not only did we leave clothes there, but we also left the place a mess."

"No worries about cleaning it, but you can go up there anytime you guys want to. Speaking of which, where did you both sleep?"

"Cut it out, Lewis."

"No, I'm serious, Bobby."

Click.

Lewis couldn't help but smile. He knew he hit a nerve with his friend.

--

It was just after midnight when Alex and Beth walked into Alex's home.

Alex looked around and took in a deep breath. "You did more than just get my clothes for me."

"You didn't think I'd let you walk into a home that hasn't been cleaned and aired out."

Alex smiled at her sister, "I'm sure it wasn't too dirty…I'm hardly ever here."

Beth gave a soft laugh, "That's true, you're always working…but…I can't say I blame you after seeing again Bobby today. Damn, Alex, that man is fine!"

Alex turns her back to her sister and doesn't acknowledge what she said. "I think I could really use a bath."

"Great idea, why don't you do that while I make you something to eat."

--

Alex enjoys her bath, then a small meal of a turkey sandwich and some soup. She's coming out of her bathroom when she hears her sister talking to someone downstairs. At first Alex thinks she's on the phone, but then stops short when she hears Bobby's voice.

She slowly makes her way down her stairs and as she gets closer she begins to make out their conversation.

"Beth…please…just for a minute."

"Bobby, I'm sure you mean well, but she's just getting into bed. I don't have to tell you that my sister's had a very long day."

"Beth…if you would just ask her yourself, I'm sure she'd say she wants to see me." Normally, Bobby Goren doesn't like to plead, but in this case he feels he has no other option.

"It's alright, Beth, you can let him in." Beth turns to find Alex standing behind her.

Relief sweeps over Bobby as he looks at Alex.

--


	13. Chapter 13

--

"Did we wake you?" Beth sounds a little mad that Alex is back downstairs.

"No, I was just coming out of the bathroom when I heard you guys." Then she looks at Bobby, "I'm glad you stopped by." Their eyes lock and silence washes over the room.

Beth is surprised to find that she immediately feels like a third wheel. "Well, I guess I can take this opportunity to run down the block and pick up Alex's prescriptions."

She waits for a reply, but when she realizes neither Bobby or Alex are paying attention to her, she grabs her wallet and ducks around Bobby. "I'll be back in a few minutes." She looks from Alex to Bobby and sees that they haven't taken their eyes off one another. Beth leaves without saying another word.

Once they're alone, Bobby tentatively walks towards Alex. "You look good…much more relaxed." His eyes roam up and down the length of her. She's wearing a long sleeved button down night shirt and nothing on her legs. He reaches out and skims his fingers down her arm. When he reaches her hand, she takes a hold of his and leads him upstairs to her bedroom.

--

As they step into her room, Bobby stops and she turns back to him. He stares at her intently, then pulls her to him. He holds her gently in his arms. "Alex…I didn't come here for this."

She kisses his chest then looks up at him. She gives him a small, tired smile. "Just lie down with me."

He kisses her softly. "That, I can do."

She begins to unbutton his shirt and he lets her because it feels so damn good to him. She pushes it off of his shoulders, and then gives him a soft kiss on his bare arm. He feels himself responding to her and realizes he has to quickly put a stop to this before he loses the control that he's mustered.

"Why don't you go lie back down and I'll be right there."

"Don't you go runnin' off anywhere."

He here's the humor in her voice and smiles at her. "I'm right where I want to be."

She nods at him then turns and climbs into bed.

He watches her settle in, then steps into the bathroom.

--

"Where did he get you?"

They're lying in bed, she on her back, he on his side with his hand softly stroking her hip.

"Here", she points to her chest and he cringes.

He unbuttons her shirt and slowly pulls the two sides open, revealing a dark, angry bruise. He feels tears begin to flood his eyes, so he closes them and waits for it to pass. Once he's regained his composure, he carefully leaves soft kisses around the perimeter of her injury.

"I don't know what I'd do if I lost you." He whispers.

"You'd go on…you'd have to." He thinks she sounds almost cold when she says that, but then he realizes that she's learned that lesson the hard way.

He tries again to convey what it would be like for him if she was killed, "It's just that - "

"Shhhh, don't do that." She sounds frustrated.

"Why not?"

"Don't focus on that, it's not good for either one of us to do that."

He says nothing, instead he buries his face in her neck and breathes in.

She feels like she needs to elaborate because she knows what's going through his mind. "Bobby…don't…don't try to imagine it…trust me…let's just be grateful we're having this conversation…and…let's never take this for granted."

He knows she's right. He gives her a squeeze. He feels himself relaxing, finally letting the stress of the day go. He can now, because he has her right where he's wanted her all along, in his arms.

He settles down a little more next to her. He lays one arm across her belly, but then she turns to him and she puts her arm around his waist while her other one folds up under her. She nestles her face against his chest, and he tucks his chin down so his cheek is resting against the top of her head. Sleep comes quickly for both of them.

Beth opens the door to Alex's house but hears nothing. No TV, no talking, nothing. She quietly walks up the stairs and peeks into her sister's room. She sees Alex and Bobby cuddled up with each other and she thinks they look like they're hiding out from the rest of the world; as if they just figured out that all they've ever needed was each other. "Well, how 'bout that." She whispers to herself, then carefully closes the door and tiptoes back downstairs.

--

The End

--

**I'm going to end this story here. But I'm not ruling out coming back to this story line in the future. Life has been hectic, and I don't know how much writing I can do in the near future, so I'll mark this complete since it's at a nice, fluffy, happy spot. I thank everyone for reading along.**


End file.
